Ashes through an Hourglass
by Oy Angelina
Summary: The Volturi is the only life Alec has known, Jane is the one person he ever loved and control is the definition of his being. Too bad Alec might not know himself as well as he thinks... - A teenage love story 350 years in the making.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Myers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

Be aware that this is a supplement story for my other fanfiction _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner_ so this story might be somewhat confusing for those who haven't read that yet. (**HINT*HINT**)

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 1_**

**Precocious Prizes**

It was business as usual in Volterra and, usually, business was dull. Perhaps Aro enjoyed these little court intrigues but, after a few centuries, I thought they all sounded like different minstrels who harped on the same couple cords. I envied humans the ability to yawn. It would be nice to have some way to express how bored I was.

I stood to Aro's right and Jane on his left as he absorbed in the memories of Rudolph; a "guest" of the Volturi. Rudolph tried to look at ease but I caught the nervous flicker in his eyes as Aro broke from his beguiled state with a look of enlightenment.

"Thank you, Rudolph," said Aro, nodding to himself over something. "Why don't you join your lovely, Olivia, while I confer with Caius and Marcus?"

"Certainly," Rudolph said, bowing.

Rudolph returned to his anxious, ginger-haired mate. Behind them was another female, Annette, who tried unsuccessfully to hide her willowy frame behind her long brown hair. All three in the coven looked wary of what came next and their fears weren't unfounded.

By nature, our kind is hard to manage. We are driven by instinct and prone to impulsive behavior when it comes to sating our thirst. Over time we develop a tolerance for temptation, though some show a greater measure than others. That is what the Volturi represent to all vampires. We are the embodiment of control – over ourselves, over our kind and – arguably – over the world itself. We are the envy of vampires and rightfully so since most exist as nomads nibbling at the fringes of society or miniscule covens who offer meager companionship and limited cooperation. The Volturi, however, are a different breed and that distinction in excellence and endurance is like comparing the Sistine Chapel to wall graffiti.

We are ancient. We are absolute. We are what most vampires only aspire to be. And – because we are such busy, important people – the Volturi rarely bring three mangy vampires to the seat of our power purely for a social call.

Aro folded his fingers as he receded back to the thrones of the Volturi leaders. Caius drummed his fingers against his armrest impatiently while Marcus sat, impassive and hollow. They were undoubtedly as bored as I was but, unlike me, had an option to leave if they wanted. I suspected it didn't matter much to Marcus where he happened to be and did so for the sake of duty to the Volturi and – never one to be out done – Caius remained out of paranoia for losing face or authority amongst the ancients.

"Well, Aro?" Caius asked curtly.

"Rudolph's memories authenticate the account he and his covenmates gave," Aro said then sighed regrettably. "Tragically, they also confirm our suspicions."

Satisfied by this news, Caius settled back into his chair with the expression of someone waiting for a show to begin. Everyone knew Aro was the lead in these farces but the rest of us were still in the background, waiting to perform the roles we played.

Rudolph's eyes bulged. "But how? Our respect and loyalty to the Volturi is unwavering. We would _never_ do anything to risk the exposure of our kind."

Aro cast him a heartbroken look. "Indeed, Rudolph. You have shown the Volturi great reverence over the years, which is why it so saddening that we find ourselves in this situation now. "

"But what have we done?" Olive asked shrilly.

Jane's impersonation of a cold statue through the platitudes and pleasantries thus far ended at the sound of Olivia's voice. Things rarely ended well for whoever captured my sister's interest and this instance proved no different. Olivia's knees buckled beneath her as she shrieked in agony over whatever tortures Jane conjured for her. Rudolph could do nothing but watch in helpless horror since any action on his part would guarantee he share his mate's fate or worse. Whimpering, Annette shrank away from the disturbing scene only to be stopped by Felix's hand and nudged the female back towards her coven.

It all lasted only a few seconds but any time spent in the throes of Jane's talent felt like an eternity in Hell. Once released, Olivia collapsed onto all fours, eyes wide and gasping for air.

"You will speak only when spoken to," my sweet sister said without a hint of inflection or remorse. "Am I understood?"

Olivia panted, saying nothing in reply. This was a mistake and one she automatically paid for as Jane delivered another round of torment that ripped a fresh scream from Oliva's throat. Now, Jane was smiling and it was more radiant and cold than sunlight across the snow.

"What part of 'speak' did you find unclear?" Jane asked so sweetly one might think she was cooing over a dog.

Olivia proved smarter this time around. "Yes, I understand."

"Excellent," Jane said.

I could almost weep at the beauty of my sister's cruelty.

Jane turned to Aro, seeking praise with the same smugness of a cat that just brought her master a dead mouse. Aro didn't disappoint Jane's expectations anymore than she did his and gave her an affectionate smile mixed in with a chiding look.

"Now, Dear One; you cannot expect all who visit our court to share the same level of refinement that you and your brother possess," said Aro. He placed a hand on Jane's shoulder and his other upon mine like a proud father showing off his perfect children. I gave Aro a contented smile and inclined my head cordially while Jane seemed ready to purr. Graciously, Aro nodded to Rudolph. "I apologize for Jane's overzealous respect for formality. Please, help your mate to her feet."

Rudolph needed no further encouragement to flit over to Olivia and place a comforting arm around her. Olivia was visibly shaken by Jane's reprimand and couldn't bear to even look upon my sister where as Annette was too terrified to do anything but. Jane took no notice of either female. Aro's attention was what mattered to Jane, not theirs.

"Olivia," Aro spoke as soft as leaves yet she still flinched from her own name. "To answer your question, it was your coven's visit to the Ukrainian orphanage last week that has given us cause for concern."

Rudolph and Olivia exchanged look like they didn't comprehend what exception the Volturi might take that while Annette continued cowering without so much a glance up. Eventually, Rudolph swallowed and braved a question.

"Are you upset we fed upon…children?" Rudolph asked quizzically.

"Oh, Rudolph…it's not your meal that troubles us so much as your method of disposing of it," Aro sighed heavily.

"But we burned the bodies and the building as well," said Rudolph weakly as Olivia clutched against him. "What more should we have done?"

"How about not leave all the bodies _in a pile?_" Caius's voice cracked out like a whip. "If you merely expended the effort to return the corpses to their beds the human authorities would have chalked it up to an unfortunate tragedy. Instead, they found a mound of corpses and that invites more scrutiny than the Volturi enjoy or tolerate. Do you see the problem _now_?"

"I –" Rudolph faltered with a desperate expression.

"It is alright, Rudolph. There is really nothing more we expect you to say regarding this matter," Aro soothed before turning to me. "Alec, if you would?"

Immobilizing the accused was a formality, like nearly everything in the proceedings; however, it was a necessary precaution. To attack the Volturi leaders with so many members of their Guard present would be pure insanity but, when facing execution, even a suicidal plan was better than no plan at all. Mostly, we just liked to spare them the humiliation of begging for their lives while our leaders considered their ultimate fate.

It was my cue, although I happily shared the limelight with my twin. Aro patted us each on the shoulder then went to speak with the other ancients in private. I smiled to Jane and swept a bow in the direction of Rudolph, Annette and Olivia. "After you, sister."

"My dear brother; always kind enough to share," Jane gave me her most angelic smile before showing our guests the devil within.

Once all three were crippled by their suffering I expelled my power as soft and slow as a sigh. It drifted along the floor like a mirage until the coven was swept under its influence, likely to their relief. Instead of writhing, the trio twitched lethargically as though dreaming restlessly. For me it felt like I held each one with a phantom limb tingling numb from sleep. I didn't consider the sensation unpleasant, per se, but it gave me an inkling of what others felt when gripped by it. Initially my power demanded total concentration but, after centuries of practice, I needed to do little more than keep those ensnared in the back of my head and corner of my eye.

Some wonder what traits Jane and I possessed as humans that were the foundation of our formidable talents as vampires. I honestly remember so little of my brief tenure as a mortal that it is hard to be sure but there are flecks of memories that offer some insight. I recall Jane's fondness for tormenting creatures weaker than herself even then and how I would put them out of their misery once she grew bored with their terror and agony. Jane associated authority with pain where as I subscribed to the philosophy that control was only absolute if others are helpless to stop you.

Now, Jane and I crave power as much as blood, we just have different approaches to sating our thirst and days like this barely whet our appetites.

"This is so tedious," Jane whispered in our own private conference while the masters murmured in theirs. "Our talents and time is wasted on the likes of this. The Cullens and their human are a greater threat of exposure than a few singed orphans. Every day Bella Swan remains human is an insult to the Volturi's authority. If one coven believes they can defy us how long before others follow in suit?"

I took Jane under my arm and spoke close to her ear. "Would that be such a terrible thing? When all is peaceful people begin to forget why that is. Perhaps the Volturi could use an insurrection, just to remind our kind why we are so necessary and how unwise it is to ever question that fact."

A look of glee crept onto Jane's \ face that belonged to no innocent or child. My sister always had a taste for violence and she was practically licking her lips in anticipation of such carnage.

"I hope the Cullens are the procrastinating type," Jane said.

I chuckled as Aro, Marcus and Caius concluded their deliberation. I stepped away from Jane as Aro approached placidly to issue the Volturi's sentence.

"We have decided to show leniency in this case," Aro said as though genuinely pleased to announce this. "After weighing the evidence provided from their memories against the danger posed by their negligence we will execute Rudolph while benefiting from Alec's ability. It is the least courtesy we can pay him after so many years of vocal support to the Volturi. We acknowledge how cruel it is to force one mate to survive another so Olivia shall receive the same punishment as her mate and be spared such anguish. Annette, however, will be released seeing as she bared no responsibility in Rudolph and Olivia's mismanagement of this situation."

"After she witnesses the destruction of her covenmates so she grasps why the Volturi stress the importance of discretion and how fortunate she is to be given a reprieve," Caius stipulated as he drifted towards his awaiting wife. "They can be dismembered here but then take their remains to the crematorium. I do not wish to have their stench remind me of their carelessness for the weeks to come."

"I believe we should end our proceedings on this happy note," said Aro, clapping his hands together in delight. "Corin, we would feel more at ease if you and Santiago would devise some means of remedying the problem Rudolph and his coven brought upon us. Felix, please see to it our verdict is carried out once Annette is able to witness it. Demetri, we would all be very obliged if you would escort Annette out afterwards. And, Alec, kindly accompanying Felix to the crematorium so Olivia and Rudolph will not be made to suffer needlessly as Felix concludes his work. The rest of you are dismissed for the day and, as always, your service to the Volturi is most valued."

"Yes, Master," I and the rest of the Guard answered as the ancients excused themselves from the chamber.

From there the Volturi's guard carried on with whatever instructions were left to us. Felix and Demetri waited patiently as the remaining members of the guard departed. Jane lingered behind just long enough to share a smile then closed the doors on the precession.

I turned to Demetri and Felix. "Shall we?"

Demetri and I flanked Annette's sides as I withdrew the haze she was put under. She blinked in confusion once as she took in the near empty room and her helpless covenmates then shuddered out a sob.

"Shh. There is no reason to fear. You were deemed innocent of their crimes," Demetri told Annette as he put a firm hand on her shoulder. "I promise you'll be able to leave in just a few moments."

I nodded as I slipped my hand around the crook of her elbow. "Don't worry; this won't hurt a bit."

After that all there was left to hear was a long wail from Annette accompanied by the sound of demolishing stone.

With my work concluded, I walked the corridors at a leisurely pace and carried a matching set of presents for my awaiting sister. Jane and I enjoyed a number of perks as Aro's favorites, the least of which being our private chambers. Aro wouldn't place the jewels of his collection just anywhere; they needed a gilded box with silk pillows and other shiny bobbles. It was a lot of creature comforts for us considering we were a pair of creatures who were never uncomfortable but our lavish surroundings were gestures of Aro's generosity as well as subtle reminders that Jane and I were the centerpieces of the Volturi guard.

I retired my cloak next to my sister's and saw her form in the sitting room. She had changed from a black dress to a crimson one, which was the only color Jane ever alternated into her wardrobe. Facing the fireplace, Jane sat primly on the sofa as the dancing flames made her eyes burn like embers. I assumed she lit it for effect since warmth and dark were never an issue for us and my darling sister did enjoy watching things burn.

"The only downside to being the prizes of Aro's collection is his need to always show us off," said Jane as if echoing my earlier thoughts.

"Are you afraid we will lose our mystique?" I teased. Jane's full lips curled as she gave her childish laugh. I slipped into the space next to her, presenting my gifts with a smile. "For _your_ collection, my sweet sister."

Grinning, Jane took one of the crystal and marble hourglasses from my hand and gazed adoringly at it. Throughout the centuries I had given Jane hundreds of similar looking hourglasses by my twin always acted as if each were the first she ever saw.

"And who did these belong to?" Jane wondered aloud. With an elegant turn of her wrist, Jane flipped the hourglass and watched the indigo grains slip to the bottom as she studied the inscription. "Ah, Olivia…"

Jane rose to her feet, taking the hourglass with Rudolph's ashes from me and carried both to the shelves containing the rest of her collection. She set the lovers together so, in some sense, they would still spend eternity at one another's side. Jane took a step back and looked upon our work.

"I _do_ love my trophy case," Jane said with a sigh both admiring and contented.

"Do you collect trophies because you're a champion amongst our kind or a serial killer?" I asked idly while settling into a more languid pose on the sofa.

"I don't see why it can't be both," said Jane loftily.

She flashed me the kind of smile most vampires saw right before they experienced the worst agony since their creation. Fortunately, I happened to be one of the few beings on earth who didn't have to writhe in torment in order to bring joy to my sister's face. Jane returned to the sofa, sitting with her legs curled beneath her and hands resting atop them as she leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"How lucky I am to have a brother who spoils me," said Jane.

"You must be confusing me with another brother we have, then," I corrected while folding an arm around her. "In fact, you should be quite cross with me for enabling and indulging all your bad habits."

"How could I hate the only thing in my life there is to love?" Jane asked with a pout as she rubbed strands of my hair between her fingers.

I smirked. "You also love yourself, Jane."

"But we are so alike that hardly counts," said Jane, shaking her head.

Truer words were never spoken. Perhaps Jane and I weren't identical in all respects but we lived in perfect symmetry to one another – two halves of a single whole. We were so complete onto ourselves I wondered if that was why, in almost four hundred years, neither of us had found a mate.

"I heard an Eastern myth that said boy and girl twins are really the reincarnated souls of lovers being punished for their sins in a past life," Jane mused, tapping eerily close into my train of thought once more.

"If that's true I can only imagine what will be in-store for us in the next life considering all our wicked ways in this one," I said with a chuckle.

Jane looked at me like I missed the point. "Anything we do must be done in _this_ life or never at all, Alec. We are immortals with the powers of gods; no one can punish us now."

A frustrated breath escaped my nose. I hated when Jane spoke like this. I never knew what my sister was driving at and the only thing that confused me more that her meaning was how I felt about what it might be. Were Jane and I so beyond all reason, right and wrong that taboos of any kind no longer applied to us? Jane was as dangerous and haphazard as a child running with scissor when it came to severing all her ties to the humanity she once held. Perhaps Jane lacked any and all respect for the ways of mortals but was nothing sacred to her? Then again, our deepest religious experience was being burnt at the stake so, maybe, I shouldn't get too hung up on what morals I owed to God, humanity and the love neither showed me and Jane.

Aro was our true creator and the only thing Jane worshiped now. When it came to snipping her scissors around our family ties, something told me Jane was more concerned about risking Aro's displeasure than mine. Perhaps Jane assumed, as her twin, I would forgive her anything or deny her nothing but Aro saw all the thoughts I could only guess at. He knew what was in Jane's head and heart as well as the confusion in mine yet he never commented. Was that Aro's way of passively approving or did he just assume such thoughts were filled with hollow intent?

"I think I'll see if Corin needs any assistance," I said, already moving to my feet.

Jane narrowed her eyes. "Why? You just finished with your task and I don't see how you could help Corin with hers. Stay with me, Alec."

I shook my head as I went to the wardrobe and found a hooded jacket that wasn't as conspicuous as my cloak for the Volturi guard. "You may have got to travel recently but I've been cooped up in Volterra too long."

Yes, I needed to remind myself that there was more to the world and my life than the affection of my sister. Unfortunately, Jane wasn't inclined to agree. In an instant she was standing next to me with a petulant and wounded expression as she gripped my arm

"What will I do with myself while you're helping Corin sweeping up ashes in the Ukraine?" she demanded.

I laughed. "Don't be selfish. You had your fun now let me have mine. I'll be back in a few nights; maybe a week depending on Corin's plan."

Jane glowered. "I worry when I'm not there to protect you."

"I am both touched and insulted that my sister wishes to fight all my battles for me," I said, kissing her cheek as she had kissed mine.

"What would you do if someone destroyed me?" Jane asked sweetly.

"Swear my eternal hatred, hunt them to the ends of the earth, avenge your death through slow, excruciating torture…et cetera, et cetera, et cetera," I said without investing any feeling in the words. Jane had to know my answer before she asked the question but she looked satisfied all the same.

"Try not to have too much fun without me," Jane signed in resignation.

As if there was much chance of that. "Don't sound so sad. I know my clever sister can think of ways to amuse herself in my absence."

I opened the door to the hall as Jane found her way back to the couch and resumed watching the flames. Without looking my way she said: "You never ask what I would do if anyone destroyed you."

"That's because I always assumed you would find a nice hourglass for me," I said, smirking as I shut the door.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** – Thus ends the first supplement chapter told from Alec's point of view. Expect random updates that will overlap with events covered in Bree's tale in _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner _retold from Alec's perspective (a la _Midnight Sun_) but – as seen in this installment – some will cover new information and different storylines pertaining to the Volturi.

Thank you always to those who read and review. You're encouragement is why I keep plucking away at Bree's so-called alternate life and why I feel Alec deserves his own story to tell.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Myers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

Be aware that this is a supplement story for my other fanfiction _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner_ so this story might be somewhat confusing for those who haven't read that yet. (**HINT*HINT**)

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 2_**

**Nice Guys Finish Last**

"Alec," Felix called out to me from the end of the hall. An instant later he was at my side with a look of muted excitement. "Do you know where Jane is?"

"I left her in our room a moment ago," I told Felix, curious of his elated mood.

"A German nomad approached Heidi on her way out to lure back some food and told her that he saw a pack of werewolves in the Black Forest," said Felix, eager to share. "Heidi was heading to Thailand, per Aro's request, so she asked me to pass the information along."

I arched an eyebrow skeptically. "Is that so?"

After Caius was nearly destroyed by a werewolf two thousand years ago he saw to it that the Volturi put the Children of the Moon on the endangered species list and his zealousness proved very successful. From time to time a pack would rear their furry heads and the Guard would be dispatched but for every good lead there were ten fool's errands.

"Is the nomad still here? Aro will want to authenticate the sighting," I said, unhappy with the thought of enduring another drawn out proceeding.

Felix shook his head, grinning. "Caius sent him off and told me to gather a patrol on a need-to-know basis. He wants us to leave within the hour and specifically stated that Jane is to be included."

Well, that was both a surprise and not. Caius desired nothing more than the eradication of our ancient enemies and automatically approved any mission to see that goal achieved. Aro; however, grew weary of Caius's obsession and now made a point of screening all the information that came to us before sending the Guard forth. If Caius was willing to act on the sly that either meant the information the nomad gave was extremely convincing or his ego as a Volturi leader couldn't stand another veto. Whatever Caius's reasoning, being involved in a wild goose chase or power struggle held no appeal to me.

"Did Caius say that I had to go as well?" I asked.

"No, he only mentioned Jane by name," said Felix, eyeing me carefully. "In fact, would you be offended if I asked you not to come along? It's been decades since we saw an actual werewolf and it won't be as much fun if you stop the fight before it begins."

I could sympathize with Felix's plight. Part of the Volturi's power and prestige comes from the fact so many in our ranks possess talents that even vampires consider extraordinary; however, that doesn't mean it's a prerequisite. Caius had no additional abilities but his pragmatism and ruthlessness are instrumental to curbing Aro's exuberance and Marcus's ennui. Felix and Santiago were also without any inherent advantages yet they still had skills and amplified traits that made them an asset to the Guard. Felix was a simple creature in the respect that he enjoyed his work, never second-guessed an order given to him and was beastly strong even by a vampire's standards. Every organization needed a blunt instrument to wield and Felix was ours.

"Then I'll respectfully decline so you all can have more fun," I was relieved Felix gave me such a convenient out to work with. I wouldn't have to trouble myself with making excuses, acting insubordinate or – worse – go along quietly. "If Caius said that time and discretion was essential, though; you probably shouldn't mention this to everyone you meet in the hall."

Felix grinned. "Oh, I know _that_. Just like I know Jane would have told you everything anyway as soon as I spoke to her."

"Then I trust you'll explain to Jane why I won't be accompanying you?" I asked, already turning to leave. "If you're worried about disappointing my sister, you can say it was _my_ idea to make the hunt more sporting."

The smile shifted off Felix's face, apparently not considering how my absence might affect his health. "I might say that. Thanks, Alec."

"Don't mention it," I said, patting Felix on the arm. "And neither shall I since I plan to accompany Corin on her assignment. Happy hunting."

Satisfied that both Jane's needs would be met as well as mine, I left Felix to his task. Jane would either kill a werewolf or the nomad who misinformed Heidi and I got a little independence to play with. Inevitably, this would get back to Aro but probably only after all of us were out of the country. Aro would take exception to being left out of the loop but he had Caius to blame for that; it wasn't the Guard's place to question the orders of any of our masters.

I spotted Corin shortly after that on her way to Santiago's room. On the surface, Corin seemed rather unremarkable. Most female vampires are dubbed as "beautiful", "gorgeous", "stunning" or "lovely" but Corin was "cute" at best and "plain" at worst. She had hair the same color and texture as straw with a smattering of freckles across her round face and pear-shaped figure. Some would be bitter but Corin honestly couldn't be more thrilled with how she looked. An unfortunate assortment of birth defects in an era with limited medical treatments afforded Corin few options in life and the last few years of it were spent as part of a traveling freakshow.

Eleazar had seen the potential in her, though. Despite her physical restrictions Corin was sociable and made those around her more productive. Her transformation into a vampire stripped away all her deformities and – though by no means striking – Corin appeared normal and that was more than she ever dared dream. What thrilled Corin most was the total mastery she suddenly had over her body and how coordinated she was, even by vampire standards. Of the entire Volturi guard, none were as spry or swift as Corin.

"Hello, Corin," I greeted, effortlessly falling into the rhythm of her step. "I wondered if you would care to have some company on your mission?"

Corin welcomed the suggestion with a smile. "Of course you may, Alec. I just hope you won't be too bored. My missions usually have far less excitement than yours."

"But they are no less important," I said with the utmost sincerity. "I would hate for you and Santiago to feel underappreciated because you're capable of solving the Volturi's problems without resorting to dismemberment and fire."

Corin's talent understated but extremely versatile. Corin had a gift for making people cooperate with her to the point of clockwork efficiency. Things always fell into place for Corin and could turn a rabble into a regime with the amount of synergy she instilled in others. Amongst the Guard, Corin made us the most efficient and synchronized force known to our kind but when it came to sorting out threats of exposure under human scrutiny Corin did her best work with a minimal body count.

"You make me sound like such a pacifist," Corin laughed openly at the thought.

I smirked at her. "That's probably because you constantly ask me to immobilize your meals because you can't bear to know they're suffering."

Corin knocked her shoulder into mine playfully. "What's wrong with being ethical about what I eat?"

"If you're that concerned perhaps you should start feeding from animals instead of humans?" I teased.

Corin made a face that implied she wasn't bothered enough to go _that_ _far_. I chuckled at her reaction which earned me another soft shove. The Volturi handled serious issues regarding our kind which, in turn, meant most of us took ourselves just as seriously. Not Corin, though. Like Aro, she was exceedingly amiable and upbeat. Some amongst our ranks found that attitude annoying or unprofessional but I appreciated having a source of casual conversation as opposed to being constantly fixated on Volturi business.

An especially refreshing tendency of Corin's was how she treated me like an individual rather than an extension of Aro's authority or Jane's brutality. Corin was aware of my significance to the Volturi but that never prevented her from speaking her mind or joking around with me during our downtime.

"Why do you bother doing it you think you think my mercy-killings are so absurd, then?" she asked loftily. "I think, deep down, you have a soft-heart beneath your hard exterior. You wouldn't have the ability to remove pain if you were content to watch the suffering of others."

Although, it would be nice if Corin was _a little_ intimidated by me. I didn't care to have her squeamish nature attributed to me just because I was willing to humor her humane eating habits. I leveled my gaze to show Corin how little I thought of her speculation.

"The purpose of my talent isn't to alleviate pain; it renders people helpless. If Jane's the child who brings the magnifying glass to an ant hill then I'm the one pulling the wings off flies."

"If that was a fitting analogy, Alec, those caught in your web wouldn't be numb, just immobilized," Corin said, rolling her eyes. "Would you mind explaining how removing the _excruciating pain_ of my transformation fits in to your sadistic personality?"

"Intellectual curiosity," I told her flatly.

It was true; I did take away Corin's pain when she was changed but not on account of pity. Even though Corin and I were friendly now and I wouldn't wish her ill she was nothing to me then. I merely wished to see if my ability was stronger than the effects of venom. It was, though it demanded the entirety of my concentration to fend off the relentless torment. Regardless, it was worth it to know what I was capable of.

"If you keep being so grim I won't let you come along," Corin chided.

I flashed her a smile that should have had a halo attached to it. "I swear to be on my best behavior."

"Assuming everything goes smooth. Otherwise, you have my permission to do your worst," Corin said airily as a thought struck her. "Speaking of permission, do you need Aro's approval to come with me?"

"Not really," I said with a vague shrug. "If he needed me to attend to a different matter he would have informed me of it by now and if anything should come up I can always return. Volterra doesn't need my personal protection to remain the safest place in the world and it's not as though I need to worry about myself abroad. Even if I didn't have my talent few would be bold enough to attack a member of the Volturi."

"That is true," said Corin, taking that for her answer as we reached Santiago's quarters.

Despite our power, the Volturi were as anachronistic as we were ancient and that made it essential to have someone keep us apprised of the ever-changing times. While something as old as the Volturi would never be modernized they understood that streams of computer data and red tape defined reality for humans as much as their senses and – with a few keystrokes and well-placed documents– Santiago made the Volturi appear and disappear as our needs suited. He monitored human current affairs, analyzed their media and studied technological advancements to share with the Volturi leaders later, depending on their urgency or relevancy. Between Santiago's technical savvy and Corin's people skills things like the Ukrainian orphanage not only reached the Volturi's attention but were resolved in a civilized manner.

Santiago's chambers were like a cross between an electronics store and mission control. There was a wall of television screens that each displayed something different that ranged from world news to popular movies with several musical bands overlapping in the background from various speakers. Multiple stations were set up; each choked with computer equipment and devices that Santiago likely understood better than the engineers and programmers that designed them. To me and most of the Volturi this all seemed like a buzzing cacophony of mortal distractions but – to Santiago – it was both business and pleasure.

Partially reclined in his rolling chair, Santiago zipped from one desk of computers to the next with his eyes fixed upon the bank of televisions. He used one hand to type here, click there and collect documents as they printed while the other worked a Rubik's cube in a flurry of color, solving and unsolving it repeatedly. He broke from this rhythm a few seconds to finish up a game of Solitaire on a computer and complete a couple online purchases before returning to his restless work.

If Santiago wasn't the most adept multitasked our kind had to offer then he had the worst attention deficient disorder I ever saw in a vampire.

"I hope you found time in your busy schedule to get my material ready," Corin said playfully. She seated herself on the corner of a desk and waggled her fingers at Santiago expectantly. "Come on, I'm burning moonlight."

"I find your lack of faith and manners disturbing," said Santiago, shaking his head.

Regardless, he quickly packed a satchel with forged credentials, fabricated reports, falsified intelligence, doctored surveillance footage and any other fraudulent information Santiago deemed necessary for Corin to work her magic. Corin flipped through the files leisurely, memorizing every detail of the cover-up she planned.

"Oh, these are very naughty men," Corin clicked her tongue. "Human trafficking , child exploitation and pornography, suspected arson and outstanding warrants for murder…now did you make these monsters yourself, Santiago, or do we have society and abusive childhoods to thank for our fall-guys?"

"No, they were completely capable of this and a whole lot more, which is why every law enforcement agency looking into this will _love_ shutting the case on them with no questions asked," Santiago said smugly. He glanced to me with a set of black eyes. Leave it to Santiago to spend two weeks in front of a computer and not remember to eat. "What can I do for you, Alec?"

"I'm tagging along with Corin," I answered.

"Huh," Santiago said before shaking off his confusion over why that might be.

Santiago spun his chair over to a collection of security deposit boxes. None of them were labeled but Santiago didn't need one to remember which was mine. He passed it off to me and I shifted through the contents, plucking out a few forms of identification I found suitable for the region and assignment. By the time I was finished Santiago was folding currency into wallets for me and Corin to use along with several sets of contacts for when we were in close contact with humans.

"Who wants new cell phones?" Santiago asked in a sing-song manner.

It must have been a rhetorical question because he was already handing them out to me and Corin. I didn't see the point of new phones since they were only slightly more advanced than the last one I used but why spoil Santiago's fun? While Corin situated everything Santiago prepared on her behalf I took a sniff of the air and wrinkled my nose.

"Why do you have cigarettes?" I wondered.

"Oh, they help me remember to breathe and blink around humans," Corin said breezily. I nodded. It was a neat trick but one I wouldn't be able to make much use of since a chain-smoking fourteen year old would draw more attention to myself than less. Corin glanced over to me. "Ready to leave, Alec?"

"Absolutely," I said then turned to Santiago. "You should find some food before you start eating everything in sight."

"I was just about to," said Santiago like it was the last thing to cross his mind. Nonetheless, he got to his feet. "The internet makes it so easy to lose track of time with all the information constantly getting uploaded to it. You could discover something new every second without even trying. It's so hard to leave when you don't know what you could be missing."

I grabbed Santiago by the arm and tugged him along before the electronic siren-call could lure him back. "I'm sure the adorable pet videos and online role-playing games will still be waiting for you when you get back."

Santiago sighed in disappointment. "I'll never understand why you don't find the internet more fascinating."

"I couldn't get past the over-abundance of pornography," I said dryly.

"I hear lots of fourteen year old boys have that problem," Corin grinned.

"Ha, ha," I rolled my eyes at Corin while herding Santiago along.

Being fourteen forever is frustrating in many respects, the least of which being a little teasing. Three hundred and fifty years ago I was considered nearly a man yet I was barely more than a child in the eyes of human society today. Vampires (at least the smart ones) know better than to make such superficial assumptions but even if I lived to be a million years old nothing I would always be at a physical disadvantage with my kind. My strength and reach would never compare to an adult vampire. It wasn't all bad, though. I had a fair amount of dexterity to work with and my reflexes were sharp enough to catch even a vampire off-guard at times. Also, my youthful form didn't affect my running speed one way or another so I broke even there.

In addition to the physical challenges of being eternally adolescent the psychology of that age is somewhat fixed as well. The mind of a vampire has an infinite capacity for retaining information and memories of my experience but this all is funneled through the lens of whatever age we were when changed. I try to conduct myself in a mature manner befitting my actual age rather than apparent; however, even I succumb to the folly of youth. I can be reckless in my judgment, I am liable to take myself too seriously as well as insults too personally and I consider violence a valid solution for resolving problems.

Generally, I handle myself and my mood-swings well enough. Better than Jane, most certainly. My sister never tolerated mockery well, even the good-natured kind. I doubt she would have taken too kindly to Corin's joke but I it rolls off my back well before we reach the countryside and sprint off to our destination.

Travel around urban areas is so confining and tediously paced but we leave all those restrictions behind the second we're outside the city limits. The velvety cover of night over our black clothes blended Corin and I seamlessly into the shadows as we moved faster than any human eye could catch. Corin was quicker, though, and by a large margin. Even my top speed slowed Corin down but she didn't complain; she just _literally_ ran circles around me.

"Are you trying to make me dizzy or just impersonating an orbiting planet?" I asked on her thirty-seventh lap.

"I don't think anyone would confuse me for a heavenly body, but I appreciate the compliment," Corin laughed. She stopped her looping pattern began trotting backwards so we could speak face-to-face. "Although that does imply you're the center of the universe."

"Depending on who you speak to they might not disagree," I said. Even running like this Corin was _still_ faster than me and that did nothing to reaffirm my smug words. Maybe eating would help bolster my mood. "Are you hungry, by chance?"

"A little, I suppose," Corin mused. "Do you think we're fall enough from Volterra to stop for someone?"

"We'll be leaving Italy in another moment so we're well past the point of concern," I said as I considered our options. "Are there any major cities close by?"

"Nothing with easy hunting and we would spend twice as long trying to clean up after ourselves," said Corin. She reduced her speed to skipping alongside me as she debated our alternatives. "What about a motorist?"

"Night driving can be dangerous," I grinned. Disposing of prey got a lot simpler for vampires ever since the invention of the automobile.

We drifted towards the roadway but didn't strike immediately. The stream of cars from both directions was a little too steady for us to finish our meal and get rid of the leftovers before another car happened along. We came to a stop and concealed ourselves by the tree line as Corin and I waited patiently for long enough gaps in the traffic so we would have a few minutes to work with. Finally, the timing was right just as a family of four cruised our way.

"One of us just needs to step out and that will do most of the work," I said with my black eyes on our quarry. "Afterwards we can just move it over to one of the trees and set it ablaze after. No fuss, no muss."

"Or you could cut out their senses and they'll crash themselves," suggested Corin. "That way when the emergency crews arrive it'll be obvious that they lost control while driving."

I cast Corin a sideways glance and slanted smile. "Unless you're a stickler for authenticity, I suspect this is your clever way of getting me to anesthetize your dinner."

Corin skipped denying or apologizing for her ruse and went straight to pleading. "_Please_, Alec…would it hurt to have _a little _pity?"

"Apparently not," I sighed, giving in to Corin's mewling.

I concentrated on the road and conjured my numbing field. An instant after the car hit the patch its wheels spun out like they hit black ice and drove off the road. Corin and I were already across the street and waiting by the doors while glass exploded from the windows as the engine crumbled against a tree trunk. For me, it all felt like it was happening in slow motion while the passengers felt nothing at all.

In the front was a husband and wife slumped over in their seats. They were bleeding heavily, both inside and out. The Missus had a rib puncturing her left lung while her spouse's abdomen was pierced by shrapnel from the wreck. With or without our help, those two were dying and already half-empty.

The two girls in the backseat – ten and thirteen, perhaps – were better off than their parents but the younger one's arm was broken in two places and her sister's scalp was bleeding from going through the side-window. The youngest girl mouthed pleas to her parents in Italian, presumably out of fear since I was managing her pain, but the older was thoroughly still. The book clutched in her hand suggested she wasn't just a pretty face. I swept some of her black hair away and placed a hand to her throat and felt a strong pulse beneath her warm, tissue-thin skin. If I could control myself she would be able to survive the change and, likely, my ability would probably keep her from feeling the painful side-effects of it, as I had once for Corin.

But what would be the point? Pain or no pain, she would despise me for murdering her family. If not that, then what place would there be for a newborn vampire amongst the Volturi unless they were somehow talented? And even if by some miracle that was the case, how long would it take for me to become bored with her? Probably not as long as it would take for Jane to kill her in a jealous fit but it was still bound to happen. It seemed like a lot of effort to stave off a little monotony.

Corin popped the driver's door like a tuna can lid. "It should be pretty even if one of us takes Dad and Kid Sis and the other has Mom and Big Sis. Any preference?"

"The girls will be enough for me," I said softly.

Corin gave me a skeptical look. "Are you sure? I would hate for you to get thirsty later because you were trying to be nice."

I waved off Corin's concern. She shot me one last confused glance before starting on Mom. I stood, pondering the situation for one more instant, before putting my mouth to the eldest girl's neck. I brushed my lips along the hairs of her flesh then bit into it with all the effort it took to nibble on bread. My first sip was a long one and I showed no signs of stopping.

Nice – the concept Corin kept applying to me. If I was _nice_ I would be like her and consider the suffering of my meals. If I was _nice_ I wouldn't casually debate whether to change some anonymous girl into a vampire just because I was bored at the moment and wanted some age-appropriate company besides my sister. I wasn't _nice_, though. I was just like the people sitting in this car, waiting to quench my and Corin's thirst.

I was numb, I was cold and anything that made me human died without me noticing.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I hope people are enjoying the quality time you're spending with Alec. With luck, most of you are happy enough with his portrayal to continue reading on. Look forward to Bree's appearance in the next chapter and, as always, thanks for reviewing.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Myers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

Be aware that this is a supplement story for my other fanfiction _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner_ so this story might be somewhat confusing for those who haven't read that yet. (**HINT*HINT**)

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 3_**

**Peculiar Tastes**

"Alec, do you ever wonder why some vampires have special abilities and other vampires don't?" Corin asked as we raced our way through Romania. "I mean, all vampires have something about them that got amplified from when they were human but why how do you end up with mind-reading, super-tracking and all the rest?"

"I have no idea why some of us are more supernatural than others," I said, giving Corin a quizzical look. "What brought this existential crisis on?"

"It's just something I think about every so often," Corin shrugged then flashed me a bright smile. "I have a theory, though. Would you like to hear it?"

I rolled my eyes over the level of build-up. "Should I be sitting down for this?"

Corin whipped around and flicked my ear before I could snatch at her. "Don't be a brat."

"Don't be a bully, then," I short back, rubbing my earlobe with a scowl. "Okay, tell me."

Corin looked happy to have her audience back. "I think it's has to do with the fact vampires like me, you and Jane are weaker than most."

"Oh, _are we?_" I scoffed incredulously.

"Without our abilities; _yes, we are_," Corin insisted. "Think about the vampires who end up with extra talents. Are they huge guys like Felix with aggressive personalities? No. Most are small and have the kind of disposition that wouldn't do them many favors in a fight. I think vampires playing with a disadvantage get a little something more to help the level the field."

I considered Corin's theory. Without our talents, Jane and I would be a minimal threat to the average vampire, Alice Cullen was just as bad off without her foresight, Corin's exceptional dexterity was an extension of her ability and Aro's Machiavellian schemes wouldn't get far without his psychometry. Unfortunately, Corin's logic was far from iron-clad.

"How do you explain vampires like Demetri or Edward Cullen, then?" I asked, cocking my head. "They're both physically mature and wouldn't need any special advantage to fend for themselves against most of our kind."

Corin stuck her tongue out at my critique. "I'm still weighing all the evidence, okay? Don't knock it unless you have something better."

"I look forward to your ultimate conclusion, then," I chuckled over her annoyance.

Corin moved to swat at me again but I was ready this time. I swept my foot out while ducking her blow and sent Corin stumbling a few strides. She flung a dark look my way while I didn't even pretend to feel sorry about tripping her up. Corin wasn't the grudge-bearing type, though, and recovered her affable disposition almost as fast as her balance.

"Not bad, Alec," she said as though actually impressed. "It's not often someone catches me off-guard. We should spar sometime. I could teach you how to take an opponent down without stunning them senseless."

I mulled Corin's suggestion. When Jane looked at Bella Swan all she saw was a pathetic, fragile human but I knew that wouldn't always be the case assuming the Cullens kept their word and nothing else managed to kill her first. As a human, Bella was already immune to most of the Volturi's combined talent. I hadn't tried my ability out on her but if Bella could block Jane's it stood to reason mine might be just as ineffective. And if there was one person in the world capable of doing it was it so unthinkable to imagine two or three possessing a skill with a similar effect?

The thought of my ultimate defense being rendered useless was disconcerting to say the least.

"Perhaps you should," I answered Corin finally.

"Excellent!" Corin clapped her hands together merrily.

"Glad to see you're so thrilled over the prospect of abusing and humiliating me," I said, though I was only half-serious about the accusation.

Corin placed a hand over her still-heart. "Your cynicism wounds me, Alec. Not as much as getting beat like a drum will wound _you_, but I'm wounded nonetheless."

"You're lucky I'm not Jane," I said, shaking my head.

"Which is why Little Miss Congeniality will not receive a similar offer," Corin said loftily. "I don't feel like being in agony every time I bruise her ego."

Now that was some logic I couldn't argue with. Still, I felt the need to defend my sister. "Jane isn't heartless, just…complicated. Everyone assume she's horrible through and through because they only see one side of her but Jane can be very affectionate, jovial, protective and eager to please with the right people."

"As far as I can tell you and Aro are the only two people Jane has a soft-side for," said Corin. My sluggish pace must have made her antsy because Corin bolted ahead, calling back: "She would definitely get my vote for The Evil Twin."

Corin's remark and enviable speed made me growl low through my teeth. Since there wasn't anything I could do about Jane other than keep her from getting too carried away I devoted the bulk of my sulking over Corin's fifteen kilometer lead. She would probably be in the Ukraine by now if she didn't have to wait for me to catch up the whole way. I was giving serious thought to turning around and heading back to Volterra when a gust of air cut over the landscape, ruffling the grass and leaves before reaching my hair and clothes.

The scent riding on its back forced me to a halt.

I drew a deep breath before the wind whisked the aroma away. I detected jasmine, peaches, cherry blossoms and honeysuckle along with other fragrances that were too numerable and subtle to readily name. I briefly assumed a garden or orchard was close by but when my feet refused to move I realized the scent wafting around belonged to one of my kind. Instead of chasing Corin's scent, I followed the one churning through the air with a bizarre sense of urgency. The smell was strong and recent but it wasn't clinging to anything in the area. It came and went with each rush of wind and taunted me mercilessly with the location of its source.

"Alec?" Corin called before appearing at my side. She gave me a puzzled look. "Where are you going? Did you get lost?"

She said this to be polite since we both knew it was highly improbably for me to lose a trail she plainly left. Our kind had the tendency to get distracted, though, which made it not at all uncommon to catch one of us seemingly staring off into space or drift off on a different course. Was that all this was? A random distraction for my over-stimulated senses?

Corin stood there wondering what ensnared my attention enough to derail my previously steady train of thought until a fresh breeze whispered past us. She sniffed the air. "Huh. Someone must be hunting."

"But _where?_" I asked with a note of frustration. "I can't pick up a steady trail."

My tone caused Corin to leer away, perplexed by my erratic shift in mood. Frankly, it surprised me as well but I couldn't dwell on that; not when the elusive scent kept clouding my judgment like a heady perfume.

"It could be coming from Sibiu," said Corin, pointing to a city well in the distance. "My guess is someone's hunting along the rooftops and the winds keep raking their scent this way."

"Thanks, Corin," I said hurriedly.

I was poised to sprint off when Corin caught my elbow and lurched me back. I whipped my head around with a snarl of surprise. Corin's eyes widened as mine narrowed until I finally registered her startled expression snapped my composure and focus back in alignment.

"I'm sorry, Corin. I don't know what got into me," I said sincerely, glancing in the direction of Sibiu with a forlorn feeling I didn't fully comprehend. I turned back to Corin and caught her rolling her eyes.

"I _told_ _you_ that you'd be thirsty later. Just talking about hunting's riling you up," Corin heaved a sigh as she released her elbow and shooed me off. "Go on. You can catch up to me whenever you're finished."

Thirsty? Was I thirsty? No, but there was a similar ache troubling me. Its singular focus and relentless restlessness made everything seem inconsequential but _I didn't know_ _what it wanted_. Somehow the mysterious scent was tied to this feeling I couldn't ignore.

"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly even though I was already inching my way towards Sibiu. "I did promise to keep you company..."

"Like I want to hang out with you when you're acting like this!" Corin snorted then flashed me one of her amiable grins. "Seriously, Alec; I don't mind. I planned on doing this assignment alone, anyway, so it's not like you're inconveniencing me. I'm just glad you're not trying to run away from me for upsetting you."

I gave her a queer look. "Why would I be upset?"

"Because I called Jane 'The Evil Twin'," said Corin somewhat sheepishly. "I was only joking. Mostly."

Right. Jane. It almost felt absurd for Corin to worry about something like that because - for the first time in ages - my sister was the furthest thing from my mind. I pushed a smile to my lips and preyed on Corin's easy-going nature. "No, I'm not mad at all, Corin. You go about your business and I'll make it back to you when I can."

"Okay! See you later, Alec," Corin waved once then vanished into a blur of motion.

I spun on my heel and resumed my own mission. Having hint of where to start was useful but I still had an entire city to scour and it was entirely possible the vampire I was tracking could slip off before I came across them. Anxiety pinched my chest just considering that. Why did it matter to me whether or not I met some anonymous vampire hunting in Sibiu? It was ridiculous to get worked up over something so vague but my feet carried me onward without skipping a beat.

Running ceased to be an option as I entered the city and reducing my speed to a slow, human pace left me more than slightly disgruntled. There were few pedestrians around but the ones available cast me curious and concerned looks. From their perspective I was a young teen wandering around alone in the dead of night. They likely pegged me for a delinquent, runaway or some other product of a bad home and wondered what would become of me.

During my insufferably long walk I crossed a different scent than the one that led me to Sibiu, though it wasn't nearly as recent and seemed even more scattered. It had flavors of citrus, amber, nutmeg and lavender that created more of a musk than fragrance. My mind associated the aroma with a masculine presence. Did that mean the scent I was following belonged to a female member of my kind? Strangely, I hadn't given much thought to who the owner of the scent would be despite my urge to pursue it to its source.

I puzzled over that as the buildings grew tall enough to accommodate a more convenient form of travel. An instant after I turned the corner of an empty alleyway I bounded up the windowsills on one of the walls until I was on the roof of the building. I let out a contented sigh and moved at a speed better suited to my lifestyle.

I bobbed and weaved over one ledge to the next; changing my course each time I picked up the trail. I didn't cross the other scent as frequently but it got me wondering who it belonged to. Another vampire passing through? A covenmate of whoever I was looking for?

Her mate?

I trapped a low growl in my throat and commanded myself to stop. Why was I concerned by _any of this_? No, this surpassed mere concern. Concern was something you could rationalize or dismiss – I was _obsessing_ and I didn't like it. _Jane_ was the twin who behaved irrationally; _I_ was the twin who kept a level-head and even-hand. Jane embodied her volatile, aggressive talent just as I epitomized my own subtle, unfeeling power. I needed to remember who I was. I needed to start behaving like myself again rather than the unremittingly foolish stranger who did such a poor impression of me.

I told myself I didn't care who the scent belonged to anymore. I lived a full, content life before their existence tickled my nose and it would go on as such if I could just ignore the impulse driving me and conduct myself in a matter befitting a member of the Volturi. If I could dominate any vampire alive with the force of my will then I could get control over myself and leave Sibiu without a second thought or glance back.

Then I looked up and knew everything I just told myself was a lie.

No human eyes could have spotted her between the shadows and spires of the Lutheran Cathedral. To me, though, she was as pale and radiant as the moon but well-within my reach if I wanted her. She hadn't noticed me yet so I slinked backwards until I was surrounded by brick and shadow. I stood motionless and kept her in the corner of my eye – kept her oblivious of me while I could do nothing but study her.

She was one of my kind, yes, but one of a kind as well…which was peculiar since threads of my cold, empirical logic saw nothing remarkable about her in the least. She was a girl – my age or near to – with the enchanting beauty typical of all female vampires but not to the same memorizing extent as Heidi. Nonetheless, there was some ethereal quality to the girl that I couldn't place anymore than I could ignore.

Her hair was a dimly discernable dark brunette and fell haphazardly around her waist. She dressed as though she were backpacking through Europe – jeans, hiking boots and a lilac shirt with a star-shaped pendant beneath a beige jacket – but the clothes were too crisp for a teenage vagabond and the bag dangling off her back too light for any length of travel. Most humans weren't attentive to such details, though, so it wasn't as if she was drawing unnecessary attention to herself. Not unless I counted myself.

Even if I wasn't afflicted by whatever skewed perception I had of the girl I would have still found her eyes distinct. They were an odd orange shade that reminded me of a harvest moon. Those eyes remained fixed to the stars as the girl sat motionless for the better part of an hour. I spent that time wondering what thoughts made her look so wistful and optimistic until I finally decided to ask for myself.

I leapt to the street below and snaked through the blocks so she couldn't see me anymore than I could see her. My pace was cautiously brisk even though I encountered few humans to playact for. Within moment, I came around on the other side of the tower the girl sat upon. A quick glance found no unwanted eyes upon me so I crouched and sprang upward. I cleared several stories before I felt my momentum wane. My feet and fingers effortlessly found their hold in the spaces between the mortar and I scaled the wall with less reservation than a human would have climbing stairs.

I made my movements quick since she was bound to have noticed them by now. Once my hand closed on the edge of the roof I swung the rest of my body upward, landing on the highest peak just as the girl came to investigate. Her movements suggested she was excited by the prospect of company, which wasn't always common for our kind. Some were too skittish or territorial to make casual contact with but she seemed social enough and that gave me the confidence to slip behind her and announce my presence in the local tongue.

"Hmm. The view is lovely up here," I said without glancing at a single building.

The girl went rigid for an instant then spun to face me. Our heights were identical but her frame was slimmer than mine. The way her clothes settled against her pearly body displayed her slenderness with the promise of curves that eternity would never fully. I looked past the surprise in her almond-shaped eyes to see the wonderment there as well as a tainted innocence. Only a recently turned vampire could reflect so much fascination and horror in their gaze.

I wanted to tell her that it wouldn't always be overwhelming and, eventually, all those preconceived human notions of murder and monsters would fade until she no longer listened to a conscience but the simplicity of survival.

I might have said that if she hadn't freaked out.

She jumped onto the spire behind her in a fluid arch and landed in a defensive crouch. Her petal-shaped lips pulled into a snarl that crinkled her pert nose as she glared me down. The feral pose she took suggested a nomadic lifestyle but she was too well-groomed for that to be the case. Most nomads I met rarely bothered with shoes so backpacks and coordinated outfits didn't fit the profile. She had to be part of a coven but there was definitely a wild-streak to her.

I blinked, unsure of what I did to provoke such a hostile reaction. Well, I did sneak up on her but it wasn't as though I meant any harm. It occurred to me that I was distinctly dressed as a Volturi and that would make any vampire wary of my approach. Perhaps I should have opened with a simple "hello".

"If I startled you, I apologize," I said, choosing to speak in Romanian until she corrected me. "You're not in trouble, if that's what you're worried about. I was passing through the city and noticed you up here. I was curious about you, mostly on account of your eyes, and decided to stop and talk."

Considering how much I startled her by simply appearing I decided it might be best to gloss over the parts where I stalked her through Transylvania, spied on her for almost an hour and had a borderline compulsive desire to be near her. I was trying to calm her down not give her added incentive to gnaw on my skull.

"My name is Alec, by the way," I said in the hopes an introduction might break the ice better.

The girl studied me for another second then begrudgingly answered: "I'm Bree."

Bree. I knew that name. She was the newborn Jane left with the Cullens a couple months ago. The one Jane spared only because she was positive Bree would attack Bella or one of the Cullens. I laughed when Jane told me how the girl fool enough to glare at her and blathered on stupidly after Jane employed some torture. _This_ was the same girl.

"You were the newborn that surrendered to the Cullens. Interesting," I said, marveling at how horrible one first impression could be. Maybe there was a chance of salvaging it if I kept the chat pleasant. "Are you still with them?"

"Yes, they're my family," Bree answered with total devotion.

"Well, that explains the eyes, doesn't it?" I said.

Bree was so defensive I had no idea how I would thaw her out. What was so special about the Cullens, anyway? Their lifestyle was abnormal to say the least and I would consider them merely pathetic if they weren't an exposure risk waiting to happen. They didn't just pose as humans and live amongst them, they kept one underfoot that was a lightning rod for murderous hordes of vampires and the wrath of Jane.

I didn't know much about Bree but she needed better taste in friends and food.

"Are any of the Cullens with you now?" I asked.

Things were tense enough without having to worry about some surly Cullen popping up to pick a fight. As a rule I could care less whether one or all the Cullens burned by my hand or another but that attitude wouldn't endear myself much to Bree.

"No, I'm here on my own," Bree said. At least she relaxed enough to sit like a civilized person and have a conversation. I listened as each word rolled off her tongue like delicate, rhythmic notes from a harp. "Edward and Bella were getting married and I didn't want to risk ruining it so I decided to travel. When I was in Alaska Eleazar mentioned that Romania was where the first vampire civilization originated so I decided to check it out."

Was she telling me the truth? I saw first-hand how willing these Cullens were to throw themselves on the sword for one another. I was loyal to the Volturi but the Cullens' fanaticism for their "family" and human-sympathizing ideals bordered on cultish. From the sound of things Bree was drinking the animal blood Kool-aid with the rest of the Cullen clan so I wouldn't be surprised if she was lying to protect them.

Yet, inexplicably, I trusted Bree. Maybe this was just more of the lapsing judgment I had been demonstrating all night but she sounded too sincere for me to doubt.

"Right, I heard Eleazar and his mate adopted the Cullens' eating habits," I said, trying to make conversation. Now that Bree was no longer primed to tear me asunder I shifted into a more relaxed posture by folding my arms and leaning into one of the spires. Perhaps I could coax her into a lighter mood if I proved I wasn't all serious first. "So you came to Transylvania on some kind of vampire pilgrimage? Your eyes aren't black so I know you haven't been fasting."

I smiled to make Bree aware I was merely joking. She still seemed wary of me but less so than when I first arrived. It gave me something to work with and I was never one to miss an opportunity when it presented itself. "Eleazar probably should have mentioned to you that it's been twenty-five hundred years since Romania had any influence over vampire civilization. You need to visit Volterra if you want to see where all the power is now."

Bree gave me an apathetic look. "So I've heard."

Brilliant. I was trying to build bridges and the Cullens were lighting fires from across the Atlantic. How could I show Bree that there was more to the Volturi than murder and menace if the Cullens were brainwashing her?

I tilted my head into the roof and pondered my approach. "And I'm sure the Cullens have nothing but praise for the Volturi and our work."

"You _are_ threatening to kill all of them if Bella doesn't become a vampire," Bree retorted.

Bella Swan. My first encounter with Edward's human hadn't left me as enamored as Aro nor did I share Jane's enmity for her but that neutral opinion sifted away like the ashes in Jane's hourglasses. Every breath Bella drew churned tedious drama and senseless violence. How were the Volturi the villains in all this when the Cullens were the ones dragging out the inevitable?

"Why are they complaining about that when the matter was settled _months_ ago in Volterra?" I exhaled sharply. "The Volturi exist to prevent humans from learning about our kind's existence and Bella Swan is a human. Naturally, this concerned us but Alice Cullen swore Bella would become a vampire and that arrangement apparently suits Bella just fine. Aro even offered her a place amongst the Volturi and we are a _very_ exclusive club. In fact, only Edward was ever against the possibility of Bella becoming a vampire, which I find rather odd considering how much he professes to love her."

I noticed that my words swayed Bree staunch stance but she was far from sold. This didn't discourage me, though. Bree was _listening_ to what I said and _thinking_ about it. I could use that objectivity – however minimal it might be – to untangle maligning web the Cullens crafted for the Volturi.

"The only reason the Volturi became involved in the Cullens' affairs was because Edward decided to bring all his emotional baggage to our doorstep and threatened to expose our kind to the mortals if we refused to kill him. Edward was _provoking_ us into killing him and we would have tossed him on a pyre if his ability didn't fascinate Aro. By the Volturi's standards Edward Cullen got off _light_."

Bree responded poorly to my criticism of Edward Cullen's warped logic and suicidal tendencies. I didn't fault him for not wishing to live without his mate but Edward taunted fortune by keeping Bella so fragile and impermanent. At this point I had to wonder if Edward was psychotic or just plain craven.

"Jane was sure to remind everybody of the Volturi's patience and generosity while visiting last June," Bree answered back.

I knew my sister did little to earn love for herself but at least Jane understood the risks Edward was taking, even if he and the Cullens were unconcerned by them.

"Jane wouldn't have had to visit Forks at all if you and your newborn friends weren't causing such a disturbance," I pointed out coolly.

"Jane could have saved herself a trip considering the Cullens did all the work for her," Bree spat out. "And – for the record - those newborns weren't my _friends_, okay? I'm _relieved_ most of those guys are dead. The half that wasn't psychotic was just plain dumb and they would have just ended up killing each other if the Cullens didn't do it for them."

Interesting. I didn't expect Bree to harbor much affection for the newborn army she was recruited into but her level of venom was more intense than I initially suspected. It also provided some insight as to why Bree was so loyal to the Cullens.

"And the Volturi are impressed and grateful the Cullens disposed of a coven three times their own size," I said without enthusiasm. I was more interested in Bree than the Cullens. "How did you survive?"

"Carlisle let me surrender and Jane decided not to kill me if the Cullens accepted responsibility for me," Bree said.

The Cullens penchant for compassion didn't concern me. "I meant how did you survive within the newborn army? I assisted the Volturi in ending the Southern Vampire Wars during the 1800s and the newborn armies then were savage and unruly. Most were as likely to turn on each other as their master's enemy and survival of the fittest isn't kind to vampires as small as yourself."

"You're about as big as me," Bree challenged sourly.

Oh, that was so precious I had to smile. "I also know what _I'm_ capable of. So, tell me, what is it _you can do_ that helped you survive as long as you did?"

At this point I was convinced Bree possessed some extra ability. How else would he have kept herself alive before the Cullens offered her protection? I suspected it was a defensive talent but non-combative since she wouldn't have let Jane torture her otherwise. Depending on the nature of Bree's ability Aro might consider letting her stay amongst the Volturi instead of returning to the Cullens and their unorthodox nature.

The only thing more curious than Bree's potential power was why I cared which coven she chose to stay with. – the Volturi or the Cullens.

"I know jujitsu," Bree said at last.

I arched an eyebrow. "You know jujitsu?"

Of all the possibilities I considered _that one_ never crossed my mind. Jujitsu did have grappling techniques that would be effectively adapted to how vampires typically fought, though the strikes and kicks would be relatively ineffective. Brazilin Jiu-jitsu or Aikido focused more on disabling opponents with joint-locks and choke-holds; both of which were essential to taking down one of our kind. Perhaps I needed to attend human matches for a few of these styles and learn some moves. Corin completely underestimated my hand-to-hand skills and it would be utterly hilarious to show her I wasn't as helpless as she presumed.

"I've had ninja training. I learned from the best," Bree explained as she toyed with her necklace and smiled at me for the first time. It had a childish quality that I found charming but there was a certain slyness tracing her lips.

"Are you being serious?" I asked suspiciously. Unless Bree was older than I assumed and spent some time in Feudal Japan I was willing to bet she wasn't.

Bree shook her head, confirming my suspicions. "Nah, I'm just teasing."

I abandoned my spot against the spire and joined Bree on hers. My switch startled her but not as much as I did before. The fact she didn't leap away or attack me indicated Bree wasn't as intimidated by me anymore, though she didn't seem thrilled with my proximity either. I, on the other hand, felt as comfortable next to her as I did Jane.

"What makes you think it's wise to taunt a member of the Volture?" I said this in jest but there was plenty of truth there. Few vampires would dare do anything to provoke a member of the Volturi so I must not have seemed quite so sinister if Bree was willing to mock me a little.

"I figured you all had thick skin," Bree shrugged her slim shoulders. "Most vampires do."

I laughed. Her wit amused me but what I enjoyed more was her candor. Not many vampires outside the Volturi addressed me with the slightest irreverence and – if they did – it was one of the last things they said. Most of our kind just said whatever they thought would please me or, at least, not upset me. It was refreshing to have someone other than Corin speak to me without fear or agenda. What did Bree have up her sleeve to make her so bold?

"Alright, so if you don't have some superior fighting prowess to speak of how did you manage? Do you have a talent?" I pressed.

Bree was obviously reluctant to share this information with me. Was she still worried I planned to attack her and didn't want to relinquish her advantage? It seemed so ridiculous to me since I hadn't considered harming Bree once since spotting her and I thought about hurting people with the same frequency and casual indifference others would consider a menu with.

My sociopathic nature aside, Bree was as safe with me as Jane and _that_ said something.

Finally, Bree offered an explanation. "I have the ability that gives me a sense of whether someone can be trusted or if they're planning to hurt me. That gave me a heads up on which people I needed to avoid and I made a point of hiding in plain sight if I couldn't find a corner. So because I didn't pick fights or draw attention to myself nobody thought I was worth killing…or they just had someone they wanted to kill more."

Bree's talent sounded like a discrete one but it was obviously effective. Which begged the question why she was still acting so distrustful towards me? Bree's dislike for the Volturi was a powerful thing if she ignored her own instincts. If she spent a little time around the Volturi she would surely have to acknowledge that we weren't quite as bad as she thought. The only complication was I doubted Aro would consider Bree to be someone potentially valuable to the Volturi and - without his support - I couldn't think of any way for her to remain indefinitely at Volterra.

The Volturi was exclusive to members of the Guard, vampires who possessed some quality the Volturi found useful and unique or their mates, such as Aro and Caius's wives. How could I convince Aro that Bree could be an asset to the Volturi? If he would keep her around long enough to annoy the Cullens I might be able to come up with a more significant purpose. After all, Felix and Santiago didn't have any special abilities and they were essential to the Volturi.

While I riddled over that problem in the back of my mind, my mouth continued working the conversation. "Well, there's something to be said about picking your battles. Did you fight the Cullens at all?"

"No. I tried to run but Carlisle caught me and let me surrender," Bree said.

That broke me out of my pensive mood enough to smile. "Your vampire stories are pretty anti-climatic, you know that? But, then again, most stories involving the Cullens are."

Bree rolled her eyes at me but what I said was true – the Cullen _barely_ qualified as vampires with all the time they spent playing human. What counted as an exciting evening around the Cullen home? Shoveling the driveway and screening calls from telemarketers?

"I'm impressed you're fitting in with the Cullens considering their attachment to Bella Swan," I said since my thoughts weren't ones I was eager to share. "I met her so I know how tempting her blood is. Normally it takes our kind years to develop a tolerance for being around humans, let alone one so appetizing. I can only imagine how excruciating it must be for you to have that under your nose all day, especially since you're not eating any humans whatsoever."

I glanced to Bree and found her eyes as black as the sky above us. Her face contorted in concentration and pain as she struggled to manage the thirst building in her. Bree didn't make it look easy but she was keeping herself in check, which was impressive for a newborn. Ironically, my self-control as a newborn hadn't been nearly so stable. I would be latched to a human almost the second my eyes turned black and Jane hadn't helped the matter, either. She made those first kills as messy as possible just to send me into a frenzy and laugh about it later – my sweet sister and her cruel, morbid humor.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you thirsty," I said for my part in her discomfort.

Bree turned away so part of her back was to as she huddled within herself. It looked like she was being strangled from the inside, a feeling I knew all too intimately. Damn the Cullens and their masochistic tendencies. Being a newborn had enough inherent frustration in and torment without being told it was wrong to want the one thing your body craved. They were pushing their lofty beliefs on an impressionable vampire who was killing herself just to please them.

"Come on," I said, standing up at once.

I wasn't sure she heard me at first but Bree broke out of her pain long enough to look at me. "Huh? Where are we going?"

"To get something to eat," I said incredulously. She was obviously starving and I wasn't in the mood to chase mountain goats, opossums or whatever the Cullens ate to feel good about themselves. "I ate on the way here but I'm always in the mood for a bite."

"You and I aren't on the same meal plan, Alec," said Bree without moving in the slightest.

I had to _talk her into eating?_ Wherever the Cullens were I hoped they were proud of themselves. Perhaps if Bree saw a _real_ _vampire_ in action she would remember her nature and that superior satisfaction only human blood could offer.

"Of course we are and you're in serious denial if you think otherwise, Bree. We're vampires so we eat humans. It's as simple as cats with mice."

"Obviously we can get by eating animals so it's not like I'm starving myself," Bree rasped out.

I disagreed with her there. Bree was so tightly wound I could almost hear her snapping. It wasn't about my eating habits or the Cullens,; it was about an exposure risk waiting to erupt in the middle of Sibiu. If I didn't do something about her thirst soon Bree would end up doing something rash and I wouldn't deserve to call myself Volturi if I allowed that to happen.

"You might be _surviving_, like a human can survive on bread and water, but is that any way to _live_? _For eternity_?"

I stopped scouting for food and turned back to Bree. She was so tormented she couldn't even look my way. I crouched in front of Bree to get her attention. Her face was a fierce mask of resentment, though I wasn't sure who it was for. Me? Herself? If there was anyone she should be mad with it was the Cullens and their hollow promises.

"You're a newborn; it's hard enough for you to suppress your thirst without adding all these unnatural restrictions and even if you had pretty yellow eyes it would still be there, gnawing at you. It's not healthy and the Cullens are cruel for convincing you that you're a monster if you eat the one thing you're supposed to."

"_What's cruel about valuing human life_?" Bree snarled.

Were the Cullens incapable of talking about _anything _but the sanctity of human life? Right or wrong, I was just bored with the subject and – from the sound of it – Bree was tired of thinking about it too.

"You are cranky when you're hungry," I said, making the understatement of the century as I returned to my task. "Let's see what the local cuisine has to offer…"

Bree's abstinence from humans left her so agitated I didn't want to risk feeding her someone with a questionable quality of blood. I glossed over the usual suspects – streetwalkers, criminals, addicts – in favor of someone with a cleaner lifestyle. The wee hours of the morning didn't offer the greatest variety but there were a few options to wave under Bree's nose.

"Well, its slim pickings at this hour but there a couple tourist still roaming around. Do you feel like Chinese or Indian? I spotted an Australian but she went into a youth hostel –"

I was already airborne by the time I realized Bree kicked me from the roof. It caused more confusion than pain but there was still a sting of betrayal. _I was trying to help her_, which was more than I could say for the Cullens and their perverse feeding methods. Bree could still be humane about consuming humans – Corin was. I could even make them oblivious and numb if she wanted that added comfort. I couldn't understand why she was so mad. This had to be some newborn mood swing. It wasn't like I suggested we make a buffet out of a maternity ward.

I emitted a long hiss and corrected my fall by shifting my weight. By the time I was facing the tower, Bree was already off so she missed the glare I shot her way. Great. So this wasn't just some newborn tantrum; Bree was trying to get away from me and I couldn't do anything until gravity stopped working against me.

No, that wasn't entirely true – I needed to make sure no humans were around to witness my disgrace. It wasn't a matter of pride but maintaining the secret of our kind. I half-hoped a human _was_ around so I would have to kill them. Perhaps _then_ Bree would think twice about kicking helpful vampires off rooftops for no reason whatsoever. Fortunately for the residents of Sibiu nobody noticed my decent to earth.

The second the soles of my shoes grazed the cobblestone courtyard I was off and running. Leaping back up to the tower was a waste of time since Bree wasn't there anymore and tracking her scent across the rooftops would be tricky. No, my best chance of following Bree through an urban environment was by relying on sight and sound.

I glimpsed her sliding from a peaked roof several blocks from our starting point and heard her continue running the streets. My mind reviewed the city layout from my eagle-eye view on the tower and pictured the street Bree was currently on. Newborns were irrational creatures so Bree would fall-back on her instincts to escape and they would all be screaming for her to get out of the city. Playing hide-and-seek around Sibiu required more risk and cunning than Bree was likely to employ and why would she take unnecessary chances when her newborn strength could easily outpace me?

I took a detour that would lead me to the closest bridge out of Sibiu. That was the best place to cut Bree off and trap her with my talent. If that failed, I would be in a better position to catch up with her. I came to an abrupt stop at the mouth of the alley. A step further and Bree would spot or smell me and I needed the element of surprise on my side. The distance and speed of Bree's footfall told me I had five seconds to cast my net and that was more than enough.

I extended my paralysis field right in Bree's path and waited but her steps were suddenly replaced by a muted screech of iron and gurgle of water. I would have heard if she took to the rooftops again or leapt over the channel. Had she spotted my field and stopped. I debated what to do for a second then stepped out to find nothing but an empty street. Bewildered, I proceeded with caution in case Bree decided to turn the hunter into the hunted. Nothing happened, though. No surprise attack, no hasty retreat – nothing to suggest I was anything but alone.

Then I saw the lamp post.

Bree's scent was all over it and the few steps I followed suggested it was the last place she brushed. Five distinct scrapes were raked around the base at shoulder-level. They were too shallow and thin for a human to notice but I knew exactly what they were – fingerprints.

It all clicked then. Bree used the streetlamp for leverage to fling herself into the channel. That explained the concentration of her scent on the post and the sounds I heard after her running stopped. Even though it was futile I still raced over to the rail and scanned the black waters in the channel for any strange movement. Nothing. It was useless to just start racing around the banks searching for her since she was as likely to go one way as another. I had to accept the facts - Bree got away.

I stood, both thrilled and infuriated by Bree's wile. I wrongly assumed she was a slave to instinct and senses like most newborns were and now I could do nothing but accept my folly. There was something to be said for a newborn vampire who could outfox a member of the Volturi guard centuries her senior, though.

I stepped away from the rail with a sigh and considered what to do next. I knew what my niche amongst the Volturi was and it wasn't tracking missing people. I took out my phone and dialed.

"_Hello, Alec_," Demetri greeted courteously.

"Hello, Demetri," I said in return. "I hate to disturb you while you're assisting Felix and Jane –"

"_Pardon me for interrupting but I'm not with Felix and Jane currently_," said Demetri. He sounded as bewildered by this as I was. "_I take it to mean you know why they're in Germany?_"

"Caius knows more of the details than I do."

"_I see_."

I figured that would be enough to end Demetri's inquiry into the matter. Demetri was nothing if not a dutiful soldier, which was why it was strange that Demetri wouldn't be included in Jane and Felix's hunt. He was alert, resourceful and one of the most competent fighters in the Volturi's service. If Felix neglected to invite Demetri then he was more serious about having his fun than I original thought.

"Demetri, can you tell me if anyone else accompanied Felix and Jane?" I asked. Demetri hesitated, likely debating whether he should be divulging information Caius hadn't made us personally privy to. Demetri's sense of loyalty could be a double-edged sword sometimes. "You don't need to give me names; I merely want to know if they went alone."

"Yes, from what I can tell," said Demetri finally.

I clenched my teeth. What were Jane and Felix thinking? I knew the odds of them finding a werewolf were slim but it was that off-chance that disturbed me. Jane and Felix were both positively lethal but neither were cautious and - without someone playing the defensive – they were making themselves needlessly vulnerable. I was my sister's keeper and I should have been more concerned about Jane's safety than my amusement.

"_Alec?_" Demetri interrupted my thoughts. "_May I ask why you're in Romania alone? I was under the impression you were traveling with Corin_."

"I was but we separated. Something caught my interest but I was slowing Corin down anyway," I said as nonchalantly as I could manage. "When you were visiting the Cullens did you encounter the newborn that surrendered to them?"

"_Yes, her name was Bree_."

Indeed it was. "I came across her in Sibiu but seem to have lost her trail. Could you tell me where she's heading now?"

"_Yes, I can. Do you need me to personally assist you?"_

Demetri was too polite and disciplined to admit it but I thought he sounded bored as well as left out. I sympathized but I also intended to resolve my issues with Bree alone. Since I had no authority to force his presence upon Jane and Felix I considered an alternative.

"I should be alright but Corin might appreciate some company seeing as I've wandered off on her," I hinted strongly. It was up to Demetri now whether or not he cared to take it.

"Excuse me," a musical, but soft-spoken voice said behind me.

I turned to find one of my kind standing a respectful distance from me. He was a foot taller than I was and almost ten years older by all appearances. Wavy blonde hair crowned his face, which was more handsome than the average male vampire. A shift in the air rolled his scent my way and I realized this was the other vampire I detected while searching for Bree.

"Demetri? Let me call you back," I said before hanging up and giving the stranger my undivided attention.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your call," the blonde vampire said. His voice reminded me of a cello; each word reverberating soft and somber.

"Not to worry," I said, smiling as I wondered how much of my conversation he overheard. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Possibly," the blonde vampire frowned, unsure of the question he intended to ask. "I was looking for one of us – a girl who looks about as old as you with long brown hair."

"That almost sounds like my sister, Jane," I said with a laugh.

"Her name would be Bree," the blonde stranger informed. "Her scent suggests she was here within the last few moments. I wondered if you saw her pass."

"No, I didn't," I said honestly. Why was this vampire looking for Bree? He wasn't a Cullen – the eyes told as much- which left me suspicious of his interest in where Bree was going. Might as well ask. "Is she your mate? Or in your coven?"

"We were in the same coven once but neither of us liked it much there," the blonde vampire said.

So he was part of the Seattle newborn army. Jane said the Cullens killed all but Bree. Had he somehow survived the slaughter Jane described or did he avoid the confrontation altogether? It didn't matter. Either scenario gave me convenient excuse to kill him if I needed one.

"What's your name?" I asked politely.

"Fred. And yours?"

"Alec," I said, smiling. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."

Fred hesitated. "Actually, you might be able to help me in another way."

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh? How might that be?"

"Eleazar – a vampire I met in Alaska – suggested I come to this region to research vampire history," Fred explained in his measured way. "He specifically mentioned I should speak with the Volturi. I understand they live in Volterra, Italy but I'm unsure of how to find them once I get there. Would you happen to know?"

The smile on my face grew as a plan formulated in my head. "You're in luck, my friend. I know _exactly_ how you can get the Volturi's attention."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE **– Whew! Long chapter! I hope you enjoyed and, now that we're caught up with Alec's side of the story, I'll be returning to Bree in _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner_ very soon so we can see what happens next. As always, thanks for the kind words and support!


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Myers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

Be aware that this is a supplement story for my other fanfiction _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner_ so this story might be somewhat confusing for those who haven't read that yet. (**HINT*HINT**)

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 4_**

Cluj-Napoca was a nice place to visit. Or, at least, Bree seemed to think so.

I hadn't crossed Bree's scent yet but I had it on good authority – Demetri's authority – that she was in the city. Unfortunately, Demetri's ability was limited to a general area when he was tracking someone remotely so, henceforth; I was on my own finding Bree. I wasn't worried, though. It was only a matter of time before I picked up her trail but the morning sunlight was hindering my progress. My movements were strictly confined to the shadowy portions of the street but most of my time was spent waiting wait for a cloud to pass over to continue on my merry way.

At the moment I was stranded near an alcove as the residents of Cluj-Napoca woke up and went about their business. I ignored the glances from the morning pedestrians as I studied the sky, waiting for my next opportunity. I felt too conspicuous standing outdoors amongst the humans and was eager to move on. The beauty of my kind always attracted attention but I was also a fourteen year old boy dressed in layers of black during the middle of August loitering outside a chain of expensive shops. Soon some bold human would want to know where my parents were and I wasn't in the mood to explain myself to some patronizing mortal three centuries my junior.

What a difference a few years would have made for vampires like myself, Jane and Bree when it came to interacting with mortals. The perception of youth became so extended over the years that even a university student had trouble gaining recognition as an adult so what chance did immortals trapped in early adolescence have for earning respect and autonomy? I knew the answer and it gave me absolutely no incentive to invest myself in the human world or participate in it more than what was strictly required of me.

It was a different story amongst vampires, though. Jane and I were legends amongst our kind almost the moment we were created. For three and a half centuries the names "Jane and Alec" were synonymous with absolute annihilation. Our combined talent made us invincible and there wasn't a vampire alive that could rival our power, let alone challenge it. We were feared and reviled but that was nothing new for me and my sister. We spent the whole of our human lives as outcasts who were scorned and perceived as unnatural but, as vampires, Jane and I were honored and respected as the lynchpins to the Volturi's authority and no vampire with half a wit and desire to survive would dare treat us like _children_.

Bree, on the other hand, was not much older than the early adolescent girl she appeared to be. It gave me pause as to why I was putting forth all this effort into locating her. I had no intention of killing Bree for kicking me off the tower in Sibiu (yet another strange reaction on my part) so what was I hoping to accomplish by seeing her again? Bree certainly hadn't behaved as though she enjoyed my company and we were polar opposites on…well, _everything_.

Even if we did have anything in common Bree was still centuries younger than me and I had no idea what interested normal adolescent girls. My beloved sister was the only person I spoke with who had the occasional mentality of a teenage girl but most of that manifested in attention-seeking behavior, mood swings, selfish tendencies and petty resentment. The rest of the time Jane acted like how I imagine any fourteen year old girl would behave if her parents were Vlad the Impaler and the Blood Countess Bathory and, as Jane's twin, that spoke volumes about me as well.

I suppose Bree could always update me human celebrity couples and popular reality television programs while I gave her a first-hand account on how much the British Empire flipped out when they lost their American colonies and what Mussolini was really like in person.

I continued pondering this rather sizeable age gap as a blanket of clouds swept across the sun's view. Judging from the density of the clouds and the wind movement I estimated I had about four minutes of freedom to work with and I didn't waste a second of it. I ran to the next block, though since I was limited to a human's pace it felt about as fast as walking backwards through a five foot snow drift. With each step I searched for a hint of Bree's scent but found nothing and, once the last of the clouds had passed, I was left glowering alleyway debating what to do next.

It occurred to me that I was thirsty despite drinking those two girls just the night before. I blamed my discomfort on Bree since I had been perpetually pursuing her for the last twelve hours. Vampires didn't get tired as humans did but blood kept us strong as well as lucid and I was getting quite a physical and mental workout trying to locate Bree now. I glanced down the street at rearview mirror of a parked car to discretely check the color of my eyes and felt no surprise when I saw they were black. I wasn't at risk of doing anything stupid but the thirst annoyed me like an itch I wasn't allowed to scratch. At least it meant I didn't need to bother with contacts or sunglasses.

I swept my gaze back to the sky to determine my next opening until something nicked the corner of my eyes. I locked my attention to a concierge from a high-class hotel carrying out an assortment of clothing from a designer boutique. It wasn't the man that interested me so much as the name on the order slip attached to one of the hangers – Bree Tanner.

I entertained the possibility that this was just a coincidence since I would have assumed Bree would us "Cullen" as a surname but the cut of the clothing matched Bree's size even if it didn't reflect the style she wore when I last saw her. The probability seemed high this was the Bree I wanted to find and the anticipation of finally tracking her down broke the even flow of my breathing.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't being the least bit cooperative.

I suppressed a growl as I flicked my eyes back to the concierge gathering Bree's alleged purchases. If I couldn't follow the man I needed to somehow beat him back to the hotel to determine which room Bree might be staying in. I could always follow her scent but that kind of blind pursuit increased the likelihood Bree would notice me. Of course Alice Cullen could always make my precautions moot with one well-placed vision so maybe speed was a better friend to me in this instance as opposed to my usual calculating nature.

I stopped wasting time and followed the alley to the other end. It was a dead-end marked by a fire door but I didn't let that stop me. I broke the handle and pried the door open with all the challenge of a soda can tab then entered into the storage area of an office building. I followed the distant sounds of human life to a lobby where people walked between the bank of elevators and revolving doors. I walked out the door with total indifference to any eyes that might be following me and took out my Santiago-approved phone to find a map of Cluj-Napoca to memorize. I was pleased to learn I was only five blocks from where I wanted to be, one of which I would be able to walk immediately in the shadow of the buildings. All I needed was another couple minutes of shade and I would be at the same hotel I suspected Bree was a guest of.

While waiting on another cluster of clouds to pass over I decided to call Santiago to get the rest of my plan underway. Naturally, he answered on the first ring.

I didn't even pause for a hello. "Santiago, is it possible for you to disable the Cullens' ability to make international calls for a while? Specifically, I want to make it impossible for Alice Cullen to contact members of her coven currently outside the United States."

"_Oh Alec, I love it when your diabolical schemes include technical difficulties. It gives me job-security,"_ Santiago purred over the chatter of his keyboard. _"Okay, I'm showing three phones on the Cullens account that aren't in the US presently – two are off the coast of South America and one is in Romania. They're bound to get suspicious if I just cut off their service entirely, though. How about I just make it so their phones ignore any incoming calls from any area code in the state of Washington and all phone numbers I have associated with the Cullens?"_

"What about outgoing calls?" I asked, watching a fluffy patch of clouds impatiently.

"_No worries, I'm giving the Cullens' an estranged family plan as we speak,"_ Santiago laughed wickedly to himself. _"Man, I do not envy whichever one of them ends up talking to tech support after this. It would probably be less frustrating to cancel their service and buy new phones."_

It took me a second to recover from the genuine awe Santiago just inspired in me. "Santiago, I as far as I'm concerned you're the most powerful member of the Volturi. You've managed to successfully block Alice Cullen's visions."

"_She needs to learn to mind her own business anyway,"_ said Santiago, pleased with himself. _"So am I sabotaging all the phones outside the U.S. or did you have a particular one in mind?" _

I considered that. "I'm only concerned about the phone in Romania so you needn't trouble yourself with the ones in South America."

"_If you must make my job easier. Anything else?"_

"Actually, there is. Would you be able to remotely disable a hotel's security and phone system if I gave you its name and location?"

Santiago snorted a laugh. _"Are you kidding? I could make the lights recite Shakespeare in Morse code. Lay it on me."_

I grinned into the receiver as I told Santiago the information he needed, concluding with: "Thank you, Santiago. As a show of my appreciation we can do some internet-based activity together when I get back."

"_Awesome! I'm starting you an MMORPG account right now while I finish making your hotel really insecure about itself,"_ I heard Santiago say over the feverish clicking of keys. _"How do you feel about being an elf with a proficiency in longbows?"_

"I'm positively thrilled," I drawled back. "I trust you'll explain what any of that means once I return to Volterra?"

"_Oh, count on it,"_ said Santiago over the sound of his rapid-fire keystrokes. _"Hey, speaking of people coming to Volterra, nice find with Fred. I haven't seen Aro this thrilled since he met the Cullens' human."_

I furrowed my brow. "What are you talking about?"

"_That American newborn you set to us."_

"Yes, Santiago, I remember Fred," I said curtly. "My confusion lies with why he would be of any special interest to Aro."

Santiago paused, right down to his typing. _"Wait, you didn't know Fred was a Shield?"_

I froze statue-still, moving just my lips. "He has a talent?"

"_Yeah, and it's pretty damn cool – not you and Jane cool, but it's something! Aro called all of us in to see what he could do – even the wives,"_ said Santiago brightly as I felt my expression darken. _"You know how Renata's ability will make someone miss if they try to attack? Well, Fred can repel people so much that a third of the Guard couldn't even stand to stay in the same room with him. Hell, I had to leave! It was just too intense…that's not all, though. Fred can make you forget he's around. It's like you're repulsed to even think about him that your mind will just try to ignore him altogether."_

For the first time since seeing Bree I considered dropping my chase and racing back home. I didn't send Fred to my coven because I thought he was special; I wanted leverage. Fred said he and Bree were friends so I figured that would give her plenty of incentive to visit Volterra if I couldn't persuade her some other way. Perhaps extortion wasn't the best method of endearing myself to Bree but I was playing to my strengths and I always played to win.

Unfortunately, I proved a little too clever for my own good in this instance. I met plenty of vampires who were physically older or more attractive than I but, for some indefinable reason, I felt threatened by and envious of Fred. I figured it had something to do with his familiarity with Bree, which was why I tried to control the situation by keeping Fred far away from Bree and exactly where I wanted him. Now, Santiago was explaining in detail how my best laid plans just thoroughly backfired on me.

The fact Fred could make the Guard to not merely reluctant to approach him but even _think_ about him was troubling and dangerous, not _cool_. Jane and Felix were in Germany, Demetri was traveling to meet Corin in the Ukraine and I was in Romania. If Fred decided to attack Aro, Caius and Marcus I wasn't confident the remaining Guard would be sufficiently able to stop him. Perhaps I needed to stop playing games and return to my duty as a member of the Volturi.

"Does Fred seem hostile at all? Do you think he might pose a threat?" I demanded.

"_What? No, not at all,"_ said Santiago, confused by my questions. _"If he's anything, Fred's just quiet, placid and a little curious. Besides, Chelsea, Aro and Marcus would know if he was planning to do something. Why did you send him here if you were worried he might cause trouble?"_

"I wasn't until you told me he could make a third of the Guard run from the room screaming," I said through my teeth.

"_Hey, nobody screamed and we filed out in an orderly fashion,"_ said Santiago briskly.

"So all he wants to do is learn more about the Volturi, like Eleazar suggested to him?" I stressed.

"_As near as I can tell. Seriously, Alec, there's no reason to get worked up. Fred seems like a nice enough guy when he's not freaking you out. You can see for yourself when you finish up with…what are you doing, anyway?"_

"I'll explain when I get back to Volterra," I said, not interested in discussing my personal business. "In the mean time, call Jane and Felix and update them on the situation."

"_Shall I include your paranoid delusions about Fred?" _

I scowled. "Shut up _and_ _yes_. I will feel _a lot better _if I know Jane is there to keep an eye on Fred and I don't think there's a force on the planet that is capable of intimidating Felix in a fight."

"_Fine…"_ Santiago said. I could almost hear him roll his eyes. _ "Do you need me to do anything else for you other than put Jane on a warpath?" _

"No, that will be sufficient for the time being," I said briskly the clouds finally blotted out the sun. I estimated I had ten minutes of cover this time, which was more than enough to get where I wanted to be. "Thank you, Santiago."

"_Ciao."_

Already moving, I returned my phone to my pocket and walked with a determined pace. Once I reached the intersection the remnants of Bree's scent hit me so hard I actually broke my stride. This all but confirmed my suspicions of where Bree was. All I needed to do was walk two blocks and come up with a plan and – thanks to my diabolical, scheming nature - coming up with a plan was as easy as walking for me.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE **– Thanks, as always, for those of you who take the time to read and review. I'm happy to say there are 50 subscribers to Alec's tale and I hope you continue to enjoy his perspective on life. The next update is shaping up to be a beast so it might take me a while to get an update up but I promise your patience will be rewarded.

xoxo

Oy! Angie


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Myers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

For fans of this story (as well as Bree's version) looking for random awesomeness I suggest you check out the entry for _The (Not So) Short Second Life of Bree Tanner_ over at /FanFic/. Basically it dissects the story in terms of popular tropes and is hilariously flattering. My eternal thanks to Racheakt for being kind enough to recommend my story to the fine, funny people at and making my year.

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 5_**

**Child's Play  
**

My effort to beat the concierge to the hotel proved successful – _too successful_, actually. Humans were ridiculously slow at everything and this concierge proved to be no exception as he ran Bree's errands. It forced me to play The Waiting Game for the last hour and three minutes, which was one hour and two minutes too long for my tastes. I drummed my fingers rhythmically along of the chair's armrest mostly to express my impatience but it also to give the illusion that I wasn't a statue propped in the corner of the hotel lobby.

At least I knew I was in the right place. Bree's scent was all over the doorway but I didn't follow it further than that. Instead, I positioned myself in the most remote corner of the lobby to prevent my own scent from spreading around. If I wasn't careful traces of my own scent would cling to the hotel guests and staff, which would alert Bree to my presence if she happened to cross their path.

This wasn't the only reason I didn't bother bluffing my way through the situation. Santiago's sabotage of the hotel's security and phones had the staff scurrying around in whispers, trying to fix the problem without making an embarrassing acknowledgment of it to guests checking in or out. Humans were inefficient and clumsy but they would, inevitably, undo Santiago's damage and I wanted to be well on my way before that happened.

Once again, I toyed with the idea of hitting all the elevator buttons to figure out which floor Bree was on and trace her scent from there. And, once again, I reminded myself that finding Bree quickly didn't help me in the long-term scheme of things and I was never one for improvising when it came to my dastardly scheming. I sighed for the sake of doing _something_ about my pent-up frustration and gave serious thought to eating the concierge for making me adhere to his sluggish schedule.

I stopped dwelling on my frustrations and thirst when I felt a tremble inside my inner coat pocket. My fingers ceased their antsy dance and removed the phone so I could answer it. Even if the name wasn't flashing on the screen I easily could have guessed the caller's identity.

"Good morning, Corin," I said while keeping my gaze affixed to the door. "This really isn't a good time for me to talk."

Corin snorted into the phone. _"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"_

"Ha, ha," I answered blandly. Chatting with Corin was as likely to complicate my situation as it was to alleviate my boredom so I decided to spare myself any added aggravation by ending the conversation quick. "I'll call you back when I'm less preoccupied."

"_Wait a minute, what exactly are you preoccupied with?"_ Corin demanded. As usual she refused to take any hammer-heavy hints thrown her way. _"You told me you wanted to go hunting but that was almost thirteen hours ago. At this point I'm wondering whether you're the slowest eater on the planet or if something went wrong."_

I broke my stare from the doors long enough to roll my black eyes. "Your criticisms and concerns are unnecessary. I haven't been hunting at all."

"_What do you mean? You told me you were thirsty."_

"No, you just _assumed_ I was thirsty and I didn't bother correcting you."

Corin growled at that. _"Then what the hell have you been doing, Alec?"_

"It's nothing that you need to trouble yourself with," I placated Corin. The most expedient solution would be to simply hang up on her but Corin was blessed with a level of persistence that was bound to make me regret that decision in some way, shape or form. My best option was to deal with Corin civilly and distract her if I could. "How is your assignment going?"

"_So easy I'm in danger of growing bored," _Corin answered with pout. One of the things I always appreciated about Corin was her willingness to be side-tracked with conversations. _"The evidence I planted is as copious as it is damning. Now it's just a matter of me waiting around for the humans I need to speak with so I can nudge them towards the trail of breadcrumbs I've laid out. Likely the humans will take it happily from here and I can be on my way home by nightfall."_

"I'm happy things are resolving themselves so neatly, though I feel bad for Demetri traveling to meet you. He sounded listless when I spoke to him and I hoped this would give him something to do."

"_If you're so worried about how bored Demetri is why not have him help you do whatever it is you're doing, you little sneak,"_ Corin's snarl rang over the phone like a cacophony of bells. _"You were supposed to be keeping me company and you tricked me into leaving you behind, which I never would have done if I thought you were planning to take a walking tour of Transylvania. It's not safe for you to be by yourself."_

I smirked into the receiver. "Are you worried I'll climb into a stranger's van under the pretense of puppies and candy?"

"_No, I'm worried Stefan and Vladimir will turn you into Humpty-Dumpty and burn all the pieces before I can put you back together again!"_ said Corin so sharply I winced. _"You and Jane did a fine job of breaking the Romanian Coven and their supporters but there are still plenty of splinters just waiting to get under the Volturi's skin."_

"Your confidence in me is underwhelming," I told Corin in an equally prickly tone. "Anytime Jane and I went to deal with the Romanians and whichever fools they could persuade to champion their losing cause we always showed them how ill-fated their little rebellion was. If I'm supposed to be intimidated by the old regime then Stefan and Vladimir need to do much more than skulk off whenever Jane and I put a torch to their castles."

"_I'm hearing a lot of plurals there, Alec,"_ Corin's tone was as hard as her skin and twice as cold. _"Even with your talents being as formidable as they are you both always need to have someone watching your backs. Jane's attack might be rapid-fire but it still only hits one target at a time and your ability can snare multiple people at once but it needs a few seconds to work. You two make a better team than you do a solo act and if you were caught off-guard –"_

"Then suffer the little children. Yes, Corin, I get your point," I said without the least bit feeling or concern. "Unless you think Stefan and Vladimir would attack me in broad daylight with scores of humans watching I believe I'm safe."

Corin grumbled to herself before saying: _"Fair enough. So are you going to tell me what made you run off or not?"_

Corin seemed unwilling or unable to let up on needling me. Although it went against my every instinct and better sense of judgment I decided to try out a something with a flavor of truth and see if it left a bad taste in my mouth.

"I met a girl in Sibiu that I'm infatuatedly with despite her open resentment towards the Volturi, her blatant refusal to eat humans and the fact she kicked me off a rooftop in a fit of newborn rage. Currently, I'm sitting in the lobby of her hotel waiting for my opportunity to discretely incapacitate and abduct her so she and I can discuss and resolve our differences. I also found an old friend of hers that I sent to Volterra as a contingency plan in case I need to barter for more time with her."

Corin paused a moment before she burst out laughing. _"Alright, if you're going to make up a ludicrous excuse like that then I won't badger you for the truth anymore."_

I listened to Corin cackle on without a trace of humor on my face. She thought I was joking and I couldn't blame her for assuming as much. Jane was the only person I ever professed any affection for and – even if she didn't believe me – Corin obviously felt I was mismanaging my approach with Bree. I might be inclined to agree, though there wasn't much point since I would just carry on as planned anyway.

"Now that I've sufficiently entertained you, may I please hang up?" I asked, flicking frost from my tongue.

"_That's fine, I just spotted the human I need to speak with,"_ said Corin absently. _"Once I'm finished here, Demetri and I will track you down and we can all head home together."_

"I remember where Volterra is, thank you."

"_Stop acting so childish; otherwise, I swear I'll make you hold my hand the whole way back."_

Without another word I hung up on Corin and seethed over our conversation along with everything else that transpired in the last few hours. Perhaps elaborate abduction plots and unabashed extortion weren't the most traditional foundation to build a rapport off of but it was something to work with. The question was _what_ _kind of rapport_ was I hoping to achieve with Bree?

Vampires, by nature, required little in the way of social intimacy, which was why most of our kind were solitary and nomadic. The average coven contained three vampires because our strong personalities and competitive instincts made cooperation hard but some of us were civilized enough of to manage in larger groups. The Volturi were, of course, the best example of this with thirty-two members and the Cullens had nearly half our numbers, if you included Denali coven that shared their eccentric eating habits. Perhaps the Volturi wasn't the "family" the Cullens liked to describe themselves as but I felt genuine loyalty to my coven and would do everything in my power to defend any of its members, most especially Jane.

I never even entertained the notion that there was anyone in the world that could matter to me as much as my twin. Jane and I had such an inalienable understanding and appreciation of one another that I never had to second-guessed myself or my actions around her. I would die for Jane, without hesitation or regret, and trusted she felt the same; although - with our combined talent - that seemed extremely unlikely. After being at Jane's side for the better part of four centuries it felt perversely unfaithful to seek out any company that wasn't hers. Because of all this I always assumed Jane and I were some platonic variant of mates - eternal companions who felt contentment only when we were together.

So what, exactly, did I want from Bree?

I pondered that question by reviewing the few facts available to me. Bree possessed an allure I found arresting yet the source and significance of this feeling was enigmatic to me. Perhaps it was the intrigue of Bree that attracted me more than the girl herself. Jane and I knew one another as well as we knew ourselves and as much as I cherished that simple familiarity it left no room for surprises. Bree, on the other hand, was a question mark that always seemed to float just out of my reach and the little I knew about Bree made her behavior all the more perplexing.

Surviving and thriving around newborns demanded viciousness as much as it did cunning and showing any form of hesitation or mercy was a surefire way to end up as a pile of ash. Bree spent time in such an environment yet the only damage she suffered from the experience appeared to be a cautious nature and aversion to brutality. Even if her ability permitted her to avoid conflicts I would have figured she would be more desensitized to violence against humans and vampires alike. Bree was undoubtedly accustomed to a more liberal diet as well so why did she so willingly adhere to the Cullens' absurd method of feeding? More so, _how_ did she restrain herself? Newborns suffered an uncompromising thirst yet Bree's self-control was strong enough to resist the temptation of human blood. If Bree was capable of that degree of discipline in her first year as a vampire what would she be like as the centuries unfolded?

Perhaps it had something to do with the human she had once been. Memories from our human existence were always dim and faulty but Bree was young enough to have a fair recollection of them. If I understood who Bree was before it might help me rationalize why she had so many self-esteem issues as a vampire. The Cullens' fairytales certainly didn't help matters much. If I could estrange Bree from the Cullens propaganda and cultism I was confident I could prove to her that she could be content as a vampire without succumbing to malnutrition and rampant self-loathing.

At this point I wondered if I wasn't so much preoccupied with Bree but the challenge of getting the Cullens' hooks out of her. The world didn't need more vampires bemoaning how they were no longer frail, pathetic humans and calling any of their kind who accepted their nature a "monster". Spiting those golden-eyed malcontents was all the incentive I needed to return Bree to her senses but I found it harder to explain why her scent or appearance captivated appealed to me beyond the norm. I decided not to over-think this peculiarity. Some humans smelled more appetizing than others so why couldn't the occasional vampire have a similarly mysterious, irresistible quality?

When the concierge entered the lobby I felt a measure of relief. I was tired of recapping and overanalyzing my merry chase of Bree and was eager to resume it. The concierge carried Bree's purchases to the front desk with a cumbersome amount of effort despite it being a couple suitcases and assortment of outfits. Did the Cullens truly wish they were more like these creatures? All scenes like this did was remind me of why I so thoroughly enjoyed being at the top of the food chain.

"Ionel, where have you been?" the frazzled-looking hotel manager turned away from her uncooperative computer. "We have a huge problem. Every reservation was cancelled and all our guests are not on file anymore. We can't call in or out on the phone system and the only locks that work in the building are manual. Our IT service says it will be _hours_ before anything's working again."

"Sorry, Gemma, I had to run some errands for a VIP guest," Ionel explained breezily as he continued manhandling Bree's items. "You know, the American model that is staying in the presidential suite. Or was she a movie star? Anyway, the poor girl lost all her luggage. She only had the clothes on her back when she came in."

Ionel sounded very touched by Bree's likely fabricated plight as he situated the clothing and luggage onto a pair of carrying racks. Gemma examined the clothes with a hint of envy over either the quality of merchandise or slim fit of it. I personally found most of the selection rather cutesy and juvenile. Jane and I knew better than anyone how hard it was to express maturity and authority through a teen-sized wardrobe but we managed, mostly by erring on the side of dark and somber. Bree – apparently – favored pastels.

"Well, it would seem that is no longer a problem for her," Gemma told Ionel with a clipped tone. "We, on the other hand, have _a lot_ to worry about and I need you focused."

"Absolutely," Ionel said distractedly as he stared at Bree's clothing. "Let me just deliver these to Miss Tanner and –"

"We have bellboys for that, Ionel. What I need _you to do_ is help me keep some semblance of order until our systems are working again," Gemma said, clearly disapproving of Ionel's preoccupation with Bree. I had a moderately stronger reaction that was punctuated by fantasies involving unintelligible screaming and arterial blood-splatter. When Ionel pursed his lips in disappointment Gemma shook her head witheringly. "What are you thinking? That girl couldn't have been older than sixteen."

Ionel shrugged. "I hear teenage celebrities grow up faster than regular girls."

"I don't care how mature you think she is. There is a limit to the hospitality this hotel and its staff is prepared to offer our adolescent guests," said Gemma coldly. "Now stop embarrassing yourself and start doing your job."

Ionel took the manager's reprimand with immense displeasure as he waved over a bellboy returning from his cigarette break and instructed him to bring the clothing and suitcases to Bree's room. I stood up and gave my unwitting errand-boy a wide berth as he rolled the racks toward the elevators. Instead of following I slipped over to the emergency stairwell and timed my pace to the elevator riding up. Even if I wasn't trying to keep my scent away from Bree I wished to remain as inconspicuous and forgettable as possible. Tragically, Corin had an easier time managing that than I typically did, which was why I confined myself to the corner of the lobby where a nice large plant obfuscated me the view of most.

I scanned the voices trickling past my ears while making my way up. As keen as my hearing was there were still several floors, sixty-four humans and ceaseless background noise that made detecting Bree a challenge. I concentrated on listening for her breathing pattern since it was unlikely she was speaking to anyone at the moment. Vampires were distinct, if not mechanical when it came to breathing since it was a semi-conscious effort rather than a reflex.

"_Yeah, well…I can't help it if today felt like it went by super slow. Where are you, anyway?"_

The boy speaking over the phone barely registered with my attention until I heard Bree's voice answer him back.

"Transylvania at the moment."

I followed the conversation up the remaining flights of stairs to the top floor of the hotel. Once there, I waited in the stairwell and continued eavesdropping on Bree's conversation as the bellboy made his slow progress to her room.

"_Transylvania!_" the boy repeated with a barking laugh I found instantly grating. "_Oh, man, is it like Vampire Graceland over there?_"

"Sorta," Bree said in a distracted tone. "Right now I'm stranded in this hotel that is way too fancy for my tastes. It's like the honeymoon suite for Dracula and his brides."

My lips curled appreciatively at Bree's humor but a frown quickly settled in. Whoever Bree was talking to was not a vampire judging from the texture of his voice and he sounded suspiciously amused by Bree's presence in Transylvania. Was this _yet another _human the Cullens exposed our secrets to? If so, Caius wouldn't be as lenient this time around and I would happily grant the Cullens' collective death-wish; although that would implicate Bree as well and that made the idea far less appealing to me.

I could just spare everyone a lot of hassle and discretely (not to mention justifiably) kill whoever Bree was giggling with.

"_I need to start traveling with you" _Even if the boy didn't know Count Dracula from Count Chocula, I still felt inclined to slaughter him. "_Oh, speaking of weddings, Bella and Edward's was pretty cool…except for the part where Jake almost killed the groom…again."_

"_What?_" Bree cried, aghast.

"_Relax! Nothing happened. Jake just freaked over the…um…consummating portion of the honeymoon."_

I perked up at the mention of the nuptials. I was less concerned with Edward and Bella's decorations or expressions of love so much as who Jacob was and why Bree considered him a threat to Edward. Was he another vampire rivaling for Bella's affection? Perhaps I didn't share Jane's venomous hatred of the girl but I didn't get the fuss people made about her.

"Well, they _did_ get married," said Bree, relaxing somewhat. I heard the bellboy stop the carts in front of Bree's door then knocked. "Hold on, I think that's the clothes Alice ordered for me."

"_Clothes?"_ the boy said as if confused by the suggestion.

Seriously, why was Bree talking to someone so banal? He was about as fascinating as the bellboy who was too awed by Bree's comely looks to string a sentence together. While I found it pathetic the boy on the phone chuckled in amusement over the bellboy's awkward exchange with Bree and her hissing for the boy to be quiet. My brow pinched as I considered whether a human set of ears would have been capable of picking up on anything the bellboy said, though phones were so sophisticated these days it was hard to tell.

"Geez. It's all lace and silk," said Bree exasperatedly as she inspected her delivery. "Where does Alice think I'm going to wear half this stuff? It's not like the woods have a dress code."

Ah, so Alice Cullen selected the clothes, not Bree. It was good to know Bree's style wasn't confined to tween promwear and slumber party chic. She might not think much of it now but I doubted Bree wished to spend the remainder of eternity being cooed at and coddled. Jane and I never suffered such indignities amongst the Volturi thanks to the nature of its members, the importance of our work and the discouraging agony Jane's ability caused. The Cullens were a stranger breed, though, and having an perfectly preserved fifteen year old daughter to dote on might complete their little game of house. Whatever satisfaction the Cullens took in this farce eluded me as much as the charm of Bella Swan but unless Bree wanted to become that coven's version of an Immortal Child she needed to set them straight and putting an end to playing dress-up was an excellent place to start.

And - to set a good example - I decided to end our game of hide and seek.

I exited the stairwell the instant I heard the bellboy enter the elevator with his empty carts. I found no other guests or staff in the hallway but kept my tread slow and light as I approached Bree's room and, for safe measure, held my breath.

"_If you're trying to hint that you want to be taken out on a date, I might be able to accommodate so long as you're willing to skip dinner,"_ the boy offered in a teasing tone that brought a twitch to the corner of my mouth. His jokes kept hitting too close to home. He _had_ to know Bree was a vampire, which meant he was as good as dead.

"Wow. Way to see through my clever ruse," said Bree, obviously not taking the boy seriously. At least – unlike some of her covenmates - she wasn't foolish enough to engage in some star-crossed romance with anything pulse-ridden. "Hold on, I'm going to change."

For a second I thought my talent backfired on me because I lost all sense of what I was doing. I wasn't numb, though. In fact, my skin felt a light current of electricity was coursing over my skin. It invoked a shudder from me that I tried to ignore by pressing on.

"_And the seduction continues…" _the boy said with less humor than before.

I clenched my fist and teeth in unison.

"_Can I ask what you're wearing?"_

My mind flashed images of the ten most gruesome deaths I ever witnesses and I contemplated which one to replicate with this boy.

"I never knew you were so interested in designer women's clothing, Seth," Bree cut into my thoughts as I heard the rustle of a blanket and the sigh of a mattress. So the boy's name was Seth, not that it mattered to me. Shallow graves didn't get markers, after all.

"You can see them when I get home tomorrow," Bree continued.

Tomorrow? She was returning to Forks? No, unacceptable. I stopped outside the door of Bree's suite and let me talent seep out and distend into the room. Now it was just a matter of waiting to feel a tug on my web.

"_Sweet! Should I sit on your porch like a good dog and await your arrival?"_

"Shut-up, Seth!" Bree laughed merrily. "Sam would kill you, you know that."

And if Sam didn't, I could be more than obliging.

"_Wow, guess you better get an early flight, huh?"_ Seth said. I would relish disappointing his expectations.

"Why should I rush?" Bree wondered aloud. "You're already the Omega-Male so it's not like they can bust you down to something worse."

"_Whatever, you're the Omega-Cullen…You're such a runt you're not allowed to eat anything mentioned in the 'Old McDonald' song."_

"You're such a runt the tallest tree you're allowed to mark your territory on is an acorn," Bree shot back.

Seth knew. I was positive of it. Perhaps I should catch the next flight to Washington and teach Bree's aspiring lap-dog how to roll over and play dead.

"_Yeah, you win this round…" _Seth sighed. I wondered what he sounded like when he gurgled and groaned. "_Don't get too cocky, though; I'll have a comeback waiting for when you get home. We can watch martial arts movies and play 'spot the stunt-double'. Or baseball! Edward told me that the Cullens like to have a game whenever there's a thunderstorm. I would be like _the world's_ best outfielder."_

"Does that mean we have to play with a tennis ball?" Bree asked in a patronizing voice.

There! I felt Bree's presence within the field of my talent and tugged the net. I had her now it was just a matter of reeling her in. I closed my hand around the door handle and opened it without the least bit of resistance from the locks. Santiago definitely deserved a raise for his fine work. Or another Rubix cube.

"_You think you're being funny but its bigoted comments like that keeping werewolves and vampires from getting along,"_ Seth said, unaware that Bree couldn't hear him feigning offense.

I slammed the door shut behind me in disbelief. A werewolf? _Bree was talking to a werewolf named Seth?_ Did the Cullens have no limits? _No shame?_ It was bad enough when they were befriending our food supply but our one, true nemesis was going too far. I stalked my way into the bedroom and found Bree sprawled across the comforter with her phone half in hand. I picked it up and saw the name "Seth Clearwater" printed on the screen.

"_Bree?"_ Seth said after she took too long to respond. _"You still there? Man, I hate this phone. It's always dropping calls."_

I should have let Seth continue thinking that. I should have hung up but I heard myself say: "Your phone's fine. Bree is just unable to speak at the moment. Did you have a message you wished to leave her?"

A stretch of silence followed that I found immensely satisfying before Seth growled out: _"Who is this?"_

"I would be Alec." No sense in being coy.

"_Is that supposed to mean something to me?"_ Seth asked, still bristling and barking.

"Apparently not," I chuckled as I took a seat on the bed beside Bree. "This is the first time in a long while my reputation hasn't preceded me."

"_Sorry you're not as cool as you think you are,"_ Seth snarled back. "_Now put Bree back on the phone."_

I ignored his demand. "Perhaps you don't know who I am but I trust you know _what_ I am?"

"_You mean aside from a pompous ass who likes to play head-games?"_ Seth asked through his teeth. _"I don't want to write your biography, I want you to put Bree back on the phone otherwise I'll come to Transylvania and crush you into cubic zirconium."_

My smile wilted along the edges. "I hope your bark matches your bite; otherwise, my sister and I will be very bored skinning you alive."

Seth laughed openly at that. _"I guess that means you think your sister's scary?"_

"It's a matter of fact, not opinion," I said, smirking.

"_Yeah? You ain't seen nothing until you've met mine."_

"I look forward to settling this debate with you, Seth, but I'm afraid I have to go now," I said glancing over my shoulder at the incapacitated Bree. Idly, I raked my fingers through a portion of the wavy brunette locks fanning out around her slim, pale frame. I made a decision and I didn't care if Alice Cullen saw it. "I need to help Bree pack for a trip to Italy."

Seth growled so loud the phone vibrated. _"I'm warning you –"_

"And that's all you're in a position to do at the moment, Seth," I cut him off with a tone as sharp as my smile. "Of course, you're always free to come visit me. I promise you Volterra will be to die for. Ciao."

With that, I hung up Bree's phone and shut it off.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Myers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 6_**

**Unsolicited Advice**

I set Bree's phone down and pushed thoughts of Seth from the front of my mind. I didn't need an ocean separating us to believe he was of little threat and less consequence to me or the Volturi. The day a huffing and puffing werewolf whelp made us quake was the day the Volturi needed to disband and allow anarchy to hold sway and I didn't see that happening any time soon.

I busied myself with more pressing matter, specifically packing for Bree. I grabbed the luggage delivered to her arm with one hand and the clothing with the other then returned to the bedroom where Bree laid dazed. I situated the suitcases near her bare feet and flipped them open before mulling the wardrobe Alice Cullen picked out for her, dissatisfied with my options.

While scrutinizing an apricot colored cardigan with a look of chagrin I felt my phone buzz inside my pocket. When I checked to see who was calling all I found was an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen. I was confident only other members of the Volturi knew my number but the thought of a telemarketer slipping past Santiago's screening process was too amusing to resist so I answered.

"Hello?"

"_Why did I just get a vision of you throwing half of Bree's clothes into an incinerator?"_

"Alice Cullen!" I greeted her as though we were old friends. "I won't insult you by wondering how you got my number so I'll just ask to what do I owe the pleasure of your call? I'll assume it's not to discuss fashion."

"_I'm sure a clever individual, such as yourself, can make an educated guess," _said Alice sweetly.

"Quite true," I nodded along while moving around the room, collecting the rest of Bree's personal affects. "Just as I'm sure someone with the ability to see the future knows how futile it would be to try and persuade me against my present course of action."

"_That's the thing about the future, Alec: it can change with a single mind."._

"Very inspirational. I'll have to print that on a poster and hang it in my room," I said, sobering my tone. "Pleasantries and playful banter aside, why are you calling me?"

"_I'm just curious to know if you've considered the long-term ramifications of the events you're putting into motion here," _Alice wondered aloud. _"If it's one thing I know its decisions have consequences; ones we have no way of anticipating until they finally catch up to us."_

Truthfully, I was clueless of Alice's meaning. Was this some cryptic warning of a bleak future or just a ruse to manipulate me into releasing Bree by persuading me some terrible fate would result if I didn't? I was no stranger to psychological warfare so if Alice was hoping to play with my head she needed better material.

"I'll take that under advisement, thank you," I said, making it clear I wasn't interested in listening to Alice's doomsaying. I deposited Bree's backpack on the bed between her suitcases then went back to the clothing situation. "Since you're full of good advice, any recommendations for shoes for Bree? I'm no expert but I don't think her hiking boots would compliment the outfit she's currently in."

"_Try the sandals in the purple box,"_ Alice suggested immediately.

"Thank you," I retrieved the shoes Alice identified and balanced the phone against my shoulder while putting them on Bree's feet. "I must say, I was expecting more than fashion tips when I heard your voice. Are you really unopposed to me borrowing Bree for a bit?"

"_Well, there isn't much I can do from my present location and I already know you didn't track Bree down with the intention of hurting her so it seems silly to get worked up or make idle threats,"_ Alice said reasonably. _"I would watch out for Bree, though. She might find a higher roof to kick you off this time once you give Bree her senses back."_

"I'll be sure to find some place with a low altitude," I didn't relish the thought of Alice Cullen witnessing that particular display but there was no point in complaining.

I set Bree's feet down and returned to the task of packing. Anything I deemed too bright or adorable was cast aside, leaving me with a very limited assortment of clothes to fold into the smaller of the two suitcases. There wasn't a single black stitch to be found but I made do with the outfits in darker shades, like olive, cranberry, navy and plum.

"_Ahem!"_ Alice cleared her throat irritably over the phone_. "Maybe you like to dress like the grim reaper but Bree looks better in warm colors, especially blue."_

I grabbed a turquoise sundress with silvery ribbons accents. "Is the better?"

"_It's something, at least,"_ said Alice grumpily. _"Anyway, you're right: I didn't call you to discuss fashion or persuade you to behave. I need to clarify something for you before you return to Volterra; with or without Bree."_

I picked up Bree's backpack and inspected its contents. There were a couple sets of contacts, a couple mass market horror novels published in Romanian and an MP3 player. While inspecting Bree's taste in music quickly then tucked the device away with her passport and phone into the backpack and sealed both up with the clothes and shoes that made the cut.

"And what important detail have I overlooked?" I asked with a vague amount of interest.

"_Seth isn't a werewolf. He's a shapeshifter,"_ Alice stated firmly.

Now it sounded like we were playing a game of semantics. "Is there a distinction I'm not aware of? Because it still sounds like Seth has excess body hair and an overbite."

"_Are you familiar with Native American culture and how different tribes pay respect and draw power from animal spirits? Well, that's the situation with Seth and a few of his friends at the La Push reservation,"_ Alice said conversationally, like we were a couple girlfriends gossiping on a phone. _ "The Quileute have legends that say they descend from wolves, hence the form they assume."_

"Oh, naturally," I said, unimpressed.

Alice huffed. _"You know werewolves and vampires exist but cultural mysticism and shapeshifting are too much for you to believe in?"_

"Fair enough," I graciously rescinded my skeptical tone. "So I'm to understand that Seth Clearwater, his scary sister and their little friends are not werewolves but products of regional lore that just happens to resemble our timeless enemies?"

"_Yes, similar to the kitsune shapeshifers in Japan, the Bouda of Africa or the Naga from India," _said Alice with a surprising knowledge on the subject. Then again, she was a seer and lived with Carlisle, who was worldly in his own right so I probably shouldn't be _that_ surprised. _"The fact some of the Quileute turn into wolves is just a combination of geography and belief, not because they are our natural enemies."_

"My limited experience with shapeshifters left me with the strong impression that – regardless of whichever animal a tribe identifies with – they're never especially fond of our kind," I said matter-of-factly. "They find us…unnatural."

That always astonished me. Weak, ignorant humans dominated every corner of the planet and could barely tolerate others of their race depending on the pigmentation of their skin, nationality or religious beliefs. The only thing they could all agree on was that vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters and any other supernatural being was either a myth or a monster. One would think we could all become more cooperative in the face of a common enemy but no. There was one thing that always separated vampires from every other living creature in the world.

We weren't living.

"If these are shapeshifters, as you say, how is it the Quileute tribe doesn't take exception to your coven's presence?" I wondered, genuinely intrigued.

There was a flicker of hesitation of Alice's end. _"We have a treaty with them. Our diet and respect for humans makes coexistence possible because we don't make ourselves a threat. I won't pretend they're especially fond of us but we're civil enough to live and let live, so to speak."_

"Seth sounded more than civil to Bree," I noted as dispassionately as I could manage.

Seth actually sounded like he doodled Bree's initials into little hearts and rainbows. I almost felt sorry for the mongrel but I found an overdeveloped sense of empathy hindered one's ability to commit brutal acts of murder so I rarely indulged in such trivial emotions.

"_Seth is young and open-minded. He judges people by who they are, not what they happen to be,"_ said Alice as though we all could learn a lesson from Seth's fine example. I rolled my eyes as she continued. _"Seth understands that my family isn't the enemy and we share many common values."_

A light clicked in my head. "Such as a dislike of ravenous, violent vampires traipsing through your lands?"

"_Victoria's revenge tactics did not sit well with them, no,"_ Alice admitted grudgingly.

"So they allied with you to destroy the newborn army after Bella Swan?"

I already knew the answer but I wanted to hear her say it. When Jane told me the Cullens survived a three-to-one assault without a single casualty I was suspicious and this just confirmed the implausibility of that scenario. The Quileute shapeshifters helped them and – even if they weren't true werewolves – that was not something the Volturi would be comfortable accepting.

"_You've heard the saying 'my enemy's enemy is my friend'? I would say that best describes the extent of our alliance with the Quileute,"_ said Alice, anticipating my reaction_. "As I said, they tolerate our presence and my family doesn't confuse that for affection. I doubt they would have helped us at all Victoria's goal was just to destroy all of us and not Bella. I know you're going to tell the rest of the Volturi all about this and I want to make sure you have your facts straight before you cause unnecessary problems."_

That was rich, coming from a Cullen. "I'm on the right side of the law and the Volturi solve unnecessary problems as opposed to attracting them."

"_It's all subjective,"_ Alice said airily.

I frowned. "No, Alice, it really isn't."

At least it _used to_ _be_ cut and dry. Aro's curiosities and sentimentalities were paramount in any sense of mercy the Volturi operated with but his affection for Carlisle and covetous desire to acquire Edward, Alice and Bella for our coven was making the Volturi look weak. Our authority was only respected and absolute if our kind understood and trusted that the same rules applied to everyone. If we kept making exceptions, though, people would come to question their fairness and legitimacy of our laws and I didn't need Alice or Edward's abilities to know for certain that we would have more problems than the Cullens' taste in company.

"_I have to say, it wasn't nice of you upset poor Seth," _said Alice, her disapproval ringing loud and clear. _"Pick on someone your own age, Alec."_

"He _tattled_ on me?" I grinned hard enough to break my face as a thought occurred to me. "May I ask why Seth had to inform you of my nefarious deeds in the first place? I figured after my little tumble from the tower you would be keeping that all-seeing eyes of yours open for me."

"_I hope you're not going to all this trouble because a girl picked on you,"_ Alice said.

"Don't change the subject," I told Alice curtly. Something was off here and I wanted to know what. "I might have impaired your ability to contact Bree but if you had acted as soon as I decided to follow her you would have managed to warn her in time. Why the delay?"

"_Any form of vision suffers the occasional blind spot, Alec,"_ Alice said simply and with a note of finality.

I frowned. It was hardly a satisfying response but I didn't expect to get better. "Perhaps you were too preoccupied with picking out Bree's pretty little play-clothes."

"_Those clothes are completely for someone Bree's age, both physically and chronologically_," Alice said. I assumed this was a small dig at me and my faux adolescence, which Alice confirmed by saying: _"In fact, I find it troubling someone as young as Bree is of any interest to you considering the generational gap."_

"You're concerned I'm _too old_ to socialize with Bree?" I laughed openly. "I would have thought the fact I habitually and remorselessly murder and mutilate humans and vampires alike would be of more consequence to you than contributing to the delinquency of a minor."

Alice gave a chilly pause. _"You speak as though these things are mutually exclusive, Alec. Your delight in carnage and depravity is the last thing Bree needs to be exposed to after everything that's happened to her. She's been manipulated and abused enough to last eternity and if you shake some of the dust off your conscience you might find you have a little pity for Bree and leave her be."_

My humor for this discussion sapped away. "I'm not sure you and your coven are in a position to lecture _me_ on the damaging effect Bree stands to suffer from _my_ behavior."

"_You think we're a bad influence on Bree?" _Alice scoffed.

"As a matter of fact, I do," I answered with absolute certainty.

Alice gave a long-suffering sigh. _"I know the Volturi have a different outlook from my family when it comes to feeding but are you going to sincerely tell me that you think offering Bree a peaceful, loving home that has respect for human life is somehow hurting her?"_

I clenched my teeth at her know-it-all tone. "That is _precisely_ what I'm telling you."

Alice didn't have an immediate response to my accusation but eventually said: _"Well then…I think you need to explain to me how you've managed to reach that particular conclusion."_

"Considering how compassionate you Cullens pride yourselves to be I'm surprised you need someone _like me_ to spell it out for you." My words were so sharp and cold they may as well have been chipped from ice. "By some means or another, you and your covenmates each had the personal realization that you didn't with to take a human life, even to feed. I'm not confident Bree made that choice for herself; I think she made it for you and the rest of the Cullens."

"_I think I know my little sister better than you do, Alec,"_ said Alice waspishly. _"Bree cares about people and doesn't want to hurt them if she doesn't have to."_

"You always make the act of survival an issue of morality. We are predators; ergo we have _prey_," I said, feeling like an idiot for having to rationalize this at all to a fellow vampire. "You cannot begrudge our kind for accepting their place on the food chain anymore than you would a lion or shark."

"_I like to give our kind the credit of being more self-aware than a lion or shark, which is why we can choose whether we wish to dominate an ecosystem or coexist peacefully within it," _Alice parried my point. _"But I'm less concerned with your opinion of my family's diet than I am about why you believe it's negatively affecting Bree."_

That suited me just fine. What was the point of discussing an issue neither of us were willing to give ground on?

"How can you say you've given Bree a peaceful home when it torments her, body and soul? I don't believe Bree's abstaining from human blood because she believes it's noble or right; I'm convinced she's only doing it because she's ingratiated to your coven for freeing her from her former one and that she would sooner starve than risk disappointing you all. Bree is a faithless zealot to your coven's cause. She practices what she preaches but Bree merely believes what she's told, not what she feels to be true. So long as it is your coven's decision not to consume human blood rather than her own Bree will constantly be afflicted with a pain worse than thirst – the fear of disappointing you."

Spitting all that out made me want to pant. These Cullens were so self-righteous and infuriating with their blood-drinking dogma.

"_Covens might be fair-weather friends but families stay together during the brightest times and darkest days. We're a family and Bree is part of that. We love and accept Bree for who she is, not what she drinks,"_ Alice said softly.

"Really? So if Bree comes back saying she wishes to drink human blood instead of animal she still has a place in your family?" I wondered skeptically.

"_We wouldn't disown her,"_ Alice said, likely through a scowl.

"No, you all wouldn't be mad, you would just be _disappointed_ in her poor decision," I said silkily and smiling. "And you would _tolerate_ Bree's failing with your judgmental golden eyes constantly pleading for her to stop being the black sheep and become a _true_ member of your family by doing as you do. Am I wrong? Would you all be content with Bree's decision to kill humans for sustenance or would you silently shame her until she either conformed to your family creed or finally felt like she wore out her welcome?"

"_Families don't get along all the time or agree on everything. What matters is that they love each other,"_ said Alice.

"And _accept_ each other," I chimed in. "I have a sister, too, and Jane is a complicated and fundamentally flawed being, just as I myself am. No matter what she says or does, I love Jane unconditionally and relentlessly. Sinner or saint, Jane is my sister and anything I can't forgive about her character I celebrate because I would sooner compromise my own beliefs than lose Jane over them."

"_I think Jane would benefit more from a guiding hand rather than a blind eye,"_ Alice said dryly. _"I can't lie and say I would be comfortable or pleased for Bree to feed on humans and I would try to make her choose differently because it is the right thing and I know Bree's capable of_ _doing it. And if she needed time to figure out why she should want that for herself I would give her all the patience and support she needed. We all would."_

I laughed out loud nastily at that. "I swear, the hypocrisy of you Cullens never fails to amuse me."

Alice sighed. _"How is wanting what's best for a loved one hypocritical of us, Alec?"_

"Oh no, that is entirely in keeping with your coven's character," I grinned, shaking my head as I snapped the luggage shut. "You portray yourselves as a very humane coven and yet there's evidence to suggest human life doesn't mean all that much to you."

"_What are you talking about?"_ Alice demanded with some heat to her voice. _"We've gone to great lengths to keep Bella safe, even when it meant risking the displeasure of the Volturi. Obviously her humanity means a lot to us."_

"_Bella's_ humanity, yes," I agreed with a curl on my lips. "But what about the humans who died so Bella Swan could keep her precious humanity a few more months? There were twenty-one vampires who assaulted your coven and –being the unstable newborns they were – they probably thinned their own herd by a dozen or so before they finally mobilized to take their aggression out on you. It's very likely your coven is responsible – to some extent or another – for the destruction of almost three dozen of its own kind to protect a single human."

"_It was tragic that Victoria changed and used those poor people but our family needed to defend itself,"_ said Alice sadly. _"If we had the opportunity to reason with them, we certainly would have. I'm sure most of them were just confused and scared, like Bree."_

The mention of Bree fanned the flames of my indignation over this subject. The fact Bree had to be introduced to such a hostile environment and struggle to survive within it all on behalf of Bella's protection made me want to crush her into pulp. What made _her_ more precious than someone like Bree? Just because no one could influence Bella's mind didn't make her special, it probably just meant her skull was too thick to penetrate or that her brain was too dim to realize it was being tricked.

"It's admirable you would have shown consideration and mercy to our own kind but what about _the food_ required to sustain an army of that size?" I wondered evenly while the rest of my mind brooded on the insignificance of Bella Swan. "Newborns are positively gluttonous about blood and not famous for their patience. I recall drinking three or four humans on average so, if we assume these newborns had similar appetites and were feeding every other day that meant over a month's period alone the members of this army devoured somewhere between forty-five and sixty humans each. Multiply that by the twenty-one that survived to form their ranks and that comes out to as many as _twelve hundred_ _humans_ in a single month."

"_I don't remember Jane being in a huge rush to resolve the conflict,"_ Alice said pointedly.

Dragging Jane into the discussion did not improve my mood. I knew Jane dawdled in the hopes that some of the Cullens and Bella Swan wouldn't survive the encounter and – had I been there – I would have supported that decision. Not just because I indulge my sister or share her petty jealousy when it comes to Aro's admiration but because the Cullens were a lightening rod of unwanted attention and unnecessary conflict.

"You resent the Volturi's authority yet your coven sat on your hands as a newborn army swelled in power right in your backyard, waiting for us to come and solve your problems. How long was it that your coven allowed this situation to go unchecked? I'm just curious to know if the price of Bella's extended lease on life managed to break a ten thousand person body count," I said in a clipped tone. I doubt I drank that many humans myself in the span of a decade. "Now, before you think to lecture the Volturi on our response time to a crisis caused by your coven you need to make up your minds. Do you want the Volturi protecting you or do you want us to leave you to your own devices?"

"_I think we proved that we don't need the Volturi's protection, which was a good thing since – had we depended on it – we would all have been destroyed,"_ said Alice bluntly.

I resisted the urge to whip my phone into a wall.

"Right, I forgot; _we're_ _the villains_. You mentioned the unanticipated consequences of our actions to me earlier? Well, when you look at Bree does your coven see the consequences of its inaction?" I demanded in a pitch sharp enough to make my vocal cords reverberate violently. "She was human like Bella _once_. She had her whole life ahead of her but now Bree has to spend eternity as _a fifteen year old girl_ because Bella needed a couple more months to enjoy _her_ human life. Bree is a casualty of your coven's compulsive need to put off the inevitable by changing Bella into one of us and she's the lucky one because she survived – she alone out of dozens of vampires and hundreds of human victims. So, please, tell me again how concerned the Cullens are with protecting human life because what I think you mean to say is Bella Swan's human life is the only one worth protecting."

"_We can only control what we can control, Alec, and we all live with the choices we make, for better or worse,"_ said Alice, taking no pride in the particular outcome of this one.

"Your coven's decision-making skills leave something to be desired," I said coldly. "Bree needs to make an informed choice about how she wants to spend the rest of eternity."

Not to mention who she wanted to spend it with. In terms of survival, Bree was better off being amongst the Volturi or, at least, in their favor. At the rate the Cullens were going it wouldn't be long before they gave the Volturi some non-negotiable reason to destroy their coven and I didn't want Bree amongst them when that fateful day came. I wouldn't allow the Cullens to kill her with their brand of kindness.

_Like I said, we all need to make our own choices and control what we can,"_ said Alice, unruffled. _"The problem with you, Alec, is you can't control as much as you would like. If I were you, I would stop laying out plans. They'll just go to waste."_

"Thank you but if I want advice I'll crack open a fortune cookie," I told Alice. "Goodbye."

I disconnected the call and promised myself I wouldn't answer any more unfamiliar numbers. Alice Cullen had an infuriating way about her, especially that smug, sage-like tone. I released a puff of air through my nose to calm my temper and finished my packing by going to where Bree was laid out. It was a good thing she hadn't been listening to my conversation with Alice; otherwise, she would probably kick me off every famous landmark the world had to offer. It needed to be said, though; especially since Bree didn't seem to grasp the severity of her own situation and how ill-suited the Cullens were for providing guidance and protection.

None of that explained why I felt the need to get into the middle of everything. It would be less frustrating if I just left Bree to the Cullens and their self-destructive tendencies but I couldn't. As indestructible and resourceful as she was, a misguided outlook could get Bree killed by unpitying creatures such as myself. The thought alone made me feel like I had something fragile within me, something just waiting to break if anything irreparably bad happened to Bree. If it ever shattered I knew innately that there would be no picking up the pieces and no mercy for anyone remotely responsible.

I had a theory of what this fragile thing was but I refused to acknowledge what it might be even though it was as sensible as trying to pretend a lion was a housecat.

I lifted the home-made necklace off Bree's shoulders and inspected it, recognizing the ashes of our kind inside the crystal star. I wondered who they belonged to but it was unlikely Bree kept trophies as Jane did so. I would have to ask Bree what their significance was once we resolved our myriad of other issues, particularly those resulting from this escapade.

Once the ashes were secure in my pocket, I scooped Bree up into my arms. It was a pleasant feeling since, normally, I only carried human corpses around. I brought her over to the largest of the suitcases and set her inside gentle. I folded Bree's limbs until she was packed snuggling into the case and as soon as I was confident not so much as a hair was out of place I zipped up the suitcase and set it down on the ground next to its mate.

I doubt Bree would be happy to learn of her travel arrangements but I couldn't drag an unconscious girl through a hotel lobby without attracting some attention. At least she could take comfort in knowing I had plenty of experience in putting bodies in suitcases.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thanks for reading everyone (as usual) and I'm pleased to say that Alec's version of events has over 100 people subscribed for alerts and Bree's has double that number. Thanks for following with both stories!


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Meyers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

I would like to take a moment to thank Racheakt for his touching poem tribute to Alec and Bree entitled _The Life and Ashes_. Also, Schnuersenkel has written her own Alec/OC story called _Being a Vampire on Probation _that might help pass the time between my updates.

Thank you both for your extreme amount of enthusiasm and support for my stories! You're the type of fans that make aspiring authors hammer at their keyboards and think they might actually have a shot at publishing their own books someday.

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 7_**

**Travel Arrangements**

I consider myself a fairly sociable bloodthirsty predator but my back-to-back exchanges with Seth Clearwater and Alice Cullen put me in a mood. Bree was surrounded by people determined to kill her with their supposed kindness. Admittedly, my actions thus far easily qualified as selfish and inconsiderate of Bree's wishes but I held no delusions about the consequences of my behavior or how it might impact the welfare of others.

I am an egotistical fiend; not merely by nature of being but design and personal choice. I favored expediency to mercy and put my sister's pleasure before the pain of others. My unique talent and lofty standing amongst the Volturi gave me a degree of authority and confidence that bordered on hubris. When it came to meals, I traveled the road of least resistance and ceased to ponder the morality of making humans my prey once I realized nothing else would feel or taste as right. I didn't question who or what I was and - most importantly - neither did anyone else; not unless they wished to suffer the consequences.

Well, perhaps "suffer" isn't the correct word considering the affect of my power but a person needn't feel the embrace of death to die all the same.

Even in acknowledging and celebrating how irrefutably vile I'm capable of being that by no means suggests Bree's feelings and well-being are of no concern to me. In fact, _they very much are_ and to an extent not even the Cullens shared nor I comprehended.

Despite the revulsion I feel for the Cullens' diet it isn't a real point of contention with me. I don't begrudge my kind for their eccentric tastes in cuisine, no matter how little they appealed to my own pallet, and if I believed Bree dined on animals purely of her own volition then I would abandon the subject. That wasn't the case, though. Bree wasn't _enticed_ by animal blood; she drank it because that was what the Cullens demanded of her. It compelled me to wonder what, precisely, Bree was averse to – the thought of killing humans or losing her beloved coven?

I don't doubt for an instant Bree dislikes taking a human's life to sate her thirsts; most of our kind felt the same conflict and reluctance. Few became vampires already owning a calloused heart and predatory nature. The rest of us were shocked by the killer instinct that possessed us and were disturbed not only by what we were capable of doing but what we _weren't_ capable of controlling. It was an adjustment we all make and some of us grapple longer than others but, eventually, we make our peace with the price of our perfection and power.

Bree needed to mourn her human existence before she could accept her new one and the Cullens made poor grief councilors by telling Bree she could still live a life that no longer applied to her. Perhaps Bree would never be comfortable with consuming human blood and adopt the Cullens' diet as her own or, maybe, she would come to terms with her nature and no longer feel the anguish of living in defiance of it.

Either way, it was a conclusion Bree had to reach for herself, though it was no question which lifestyle I considered healthier and happier overall. At the very least I can honestly claim corrupting Bree wasn't my plan. Corruption implies a deviation from what is right or normal and eating humans _is_ _right and normal_ for a vampire. Bree's thirst told her that so I didn't need to persuade her of anything. The only thing I _did plan_ to talk Bree out of was allowing the Cullens to solely dictate the terms of her new life.

I am a monster, perhaps, but I refuse to be called a hypocrite.

I retreated out of my own head long enough to check what weather conditions I had to work with now. A quick peek behind the thick window curtains revealed how persistently the sun is shining with enough blue sky to discourage me from thinking it would be disappearing anytime soon.

My safest, wisest option would be to remain in Bree's room and leave after dusk but the sensation in the back of my mind keeps me acutely aware of Bree's current travel arrangements. Bree's paralyzed state meant she was neither conscious nor uncomfortable with being folded into a suitcase. I – conversely – _was conscious_ of her condition and eager to release Bree as soon as possible. I might have unpacked her for the time being then returned Bree to the suitcase when it was dark but the combination of my thirst and desire to converse with Bree left me too impatient for that option.

I dialed my phone and Santiago answered on the first ring. "So has my loyal service earned me an explanation yet?"

I didn't relish the thought of rationalizing my elaborate measures to Santiago or the other members of the Volturi. Jane and I were no strangers to games where she played the cat and I the viper toying with a little mouse but those jaunts had a more predictable ending than this one. To say the least it was uncharacteristic of me to stalk someone so arduously without intending to harm them. Truthfully, I didn't know what I intended to do with Bree at all beyond bringing her to Volterra.

"Actually, Santiago, I need a car to pick me up; ideally a service that offers vehicles with tinted windows," I said, stalling.

"Aw, are we finished already? I was having fun with all the intrigue and espionage," said Santiago over his rhythmic typing. Shifting Santiago's focus was never a complicated task so long as you gave him an excuse to play God with his machine. "I'm making the arrangements now. Will you be eating the driver this afternoon?"

"It would be convenient if I could have my food to go," I chuckled.

"Alright then. I'll hack the dispatch and make sure there's no record of this faithful trip. You can expect your ride in thirty minutes, traffic permitting."

"Excellent. Thank you, Santiago," I said with genuine gratitude. "May I trouble you for one last favor?"

"Sure, Alec - 'Trouble' just so happens to be my middle name."

I smiled at Santiago's quip. "I need an international courier service to pick up a suitcase and have it shipped to Volterra as soon as they can manage. I will leave it at the front desk for them to retrieve."

I heard Santiago sigh. "A little beneath my expertise but consider it done. Are you not returning to Volterra soon?"

"I don't expect to be away much longer but I'd rather travel light in the meantime," I said, preferring to remain coy with any specifics. Besides, I was more interested in discussing something far more relevant than my social life. "Did you reach Jane and share my concerns?"

"Yes. She's in a mood, though," warned Santiago.

"The werewolf hunt turned into a goose chase," I guessed. Poor Jane – denied even the simplest pleasures of unlife. At least it meant she would return to Volterra all the sooner. "Tell me, has Chelsea left Volterra?"

"A far as I know she's waiting for Heidi to return from Indonesia with food," said Santiago. Considering he was at the nexus of the Volturi's comings and goings, I figured the odds were good Chelsea was still there. "Are you going to make it back for dinner?"

"I'll certainly try but I won't be offended if you start without me," I said blithely. "Again, thank you for your assistance."

"Always a pleasure to help, even when it's boring and easy. Ciao, Alec."

"Ciao, Santiago," I said, hanging up.

It seemed like things were wrapping up nicely, which was welcomed considering the larger concerns I had to attend to. I needed to put some distance Bree from the Cullens, preferably on an emotional level but I would settle for geographically until then. Hopefully my solutions would become one in the same if I could navigate Bree to Volterra. I wasn't foolish enough to believe one glimpse of the Italian countryside or an afternoon in the company of my esteemed coven would be enough to make Bree decide to stay but the Volturi did have something to make people reluctant to leave – Chelsea.

As subtle as her talents were, I considered Chelsea to be perhaps the most powerful member of the Volturi's guard after myself and Jane. She had a preternatural knack for rewiring the ties that bound people to one another, transforming enemies into comrades and covenmates into strangers. Like the greatest of manipulators, Chelsea didn't control people by subverting their will but by bewitching them into believing their actions and feelings were entirely their own.

If Chelsea had a personality more like Caius she could turn herself into a walking goddess, garnering worship and loyalty from all who befell her charms. Fortunately for all of us, Chelsea was a modest woman who preferred genuine emotion to fabricated ones. The only virtues Chelsea prized more were harmony and justice, which was why she never hesitated to use her talent if it kept the peace and spared an innocent from sharing a noose with the guilty.

There were limitations to Chelsea's, however. As easy as it was for her to dismantle a coven it was impossible for her to sever or alter the affection a vampire harbored for his or her mate. Family was likewise inalienable. A century ago, for the sake of curiosity and prudence, I asked Chelsea to see if she could create a rift between Jane and I; however, all Chelsea achieved was offending Jane. Both of us felt something akin to our emotional connection being plucked and stretched but it was otherwise ineffective and remained perfectly intact.

While I was relieved to know Jane and I couldn't be casually pitted against one another, Jane was livid someone would even try and nearly getting savaged Chelsea with her power until I persuaded my sister otherwise. Although my feelings for Jane remained unaffected, I hold little doubt that some of our pride and adoration for the Volturi is bolstered by Chelsea's power and Aro's will. It would be naïve to assume we were immune considering how often we employ the same dastardly trick against other. In fact, I was counting on business-as-usual to persuade Bree against rushing back to the Cullens. Perhaps with some cautious nudging I could even persuade Bree to dine with my coven as a nice break from her absurd diet.

Packed and ready to check out, I quickly penned a note on Bree's behalf politely requesting that the clothing I rejected upon the hangers be returned to the shops they were purchased at. I wasn't sure if Bree had signed for anything since her arrival at the hotel but - for the sake of thoroughness – I made sure my forgery was identical to the signatures on her woefully underused passport.

I wondered whether the travel documents were a fresh counterfeit like mine. If not, I found it strange and unfortunate that Bree hadn't ventured far from North America before now. I understood the Cullens enjoyed their masquerade because it allowed them to remain in a single location yet I and the vast majority of our kind certainly didn't share their contentment. As incomprehensible as certain aspects of vampirism could be I never questioned why we moved at such dizzying speeds. Our predatory natures kept us on the move to avoid detection and not encroach upon the hunting grounds other vampires might claim.

The Volturi rose above these baser instincts by making our home in Volterra; however, the Guard was actively deployed for purposes of business or pleasure. Only the ancient leaders and their wives seemed content to remain in Volterra for centuries on end and their sedimentary complexions were proof of how practiced they were at their stationary lifestyle. I rarely questioned the wisdom of my masters but they did themselves a disservice by allowing themselves to slowly fossilize. The Romanians proved how ill-advised such prolonged stillness could be. Their inferior reaction time coupled with complacent arrogance was why their coven toppled so easily and made it all the easier for Jane and I to crush the remnants that lived to scheme another day.

No, even with the sizable advantage my ability afforded me I was resolved never to become a relic. This was why I had such a fondness for travel, even if it meant traveling alone. Occasionally, Jane would accompany me but my sister grew bored quickly unless she could anticipate a violent conclusion to our journey. Jane was too much a people-person to share my love of isolated places and the remote wonders hidden across the globe but, perhaps, Bree would enjoy seeing more of the world. Three hundred and fifty years of diligent service to the Volturi warranted some vacation time and – for the first time since transcending my feeble humanity – I felt like letting the Volturi and Jane manage without me for a while.

I tried not to dwell on the greater implications of that as I made my departure from Bree's hotel suite.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE –**

Apologies for the longer than usual wait for updates on this story and T(NS)SSLoBT. I have a number of projects I'm working on at the moment, which affords me little time to drift off into either Alec or Bree's head-space. I'll try to be a little more prompt, though. I know at least 150 of you subscribe for updates to this story and your generous amount of supportive reviews always make me feel guilty about not updating quicker.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER** – The _Twilight saga_ and all the characters mentioned in it are the undisputed property of Stephanie Meyers. This story was written entirely for non-profit and the sheer love of the series and its memorable characters. Spoilers are included from pretty much included for every single book associated with _Twilight_.

To my darling and loyal readers –

Sorry to keep you waiting for another installment of Bree and Alec's joint tale. I hope you know how much I appreciate the tremendous and heartfelt support many of you voice for my stories in reviews, private messages, emails and on the forums. Your sincerity and sweetness is always overwhelming and I hate having to keep you in suspense. I promise I love this story as much as all of you and intend to keep writing it, even if it's not as frequent as we all would like. How can I stop when so many of you are so gracious and vocal in your enthusiasm and support? All I can do is hope that each chapter gives you something new and memorable to tide you over until I can update again.

Submitted for your approval…

**Ashes through an Hourglass**

By: Oy! Angelina

**_Chapter 8_**

**Rumors about Angels**

Some vampires scorned the fallible capacity of the human memory but I adored it. Each passing second stole more details from their minds and a few plausible suggestions could make them invent events and facts that never transpired. Humans were unreliable witnesses to their own lives and – even with our striking looks - my kind could slip all-too easily from a mortal's recollection.

Although I was destined to become a beautiful stranger I tried to remain as inconspicuous as I could manage within the lobby. It was unavoidable that I would attract the occasional stray or lingering glance but – as far as anyone could tell – I was just fourteen year old boy sitting with a suitcase. Hardly the most out-of-place sight in a hotel.

The most attention I called to myself was when I left the luggage containing Bree's affects with the front desk for shipment. Gemma – the long-suffering hotel manager – was present at the time and made the assumption that I was related to Bree. From her stunted human perception there probably was a resemblance since Bree and I were both pale with dark hair, plus the staggering beauty of most vampires cause humans to get lost in the overall effect rather than distinguish specific features.

As helpful as this was to remaining anonymous I disliked passing myself off as Bree's brother, who helpfully attended to her luggage while Bree was sight-seeing. I had no qualms about lying, of course; it was simply the ruse itself I didn't care for. I already had a sister and I certainly didn't look at Bree the same way I did Jane – mercifully. Nonetheless, I played the part and waited patiently for my transportation to arrive.

Given her previous disapproval of Ionel's interest in Bree, I didn't expect Gemma to advertise my assumed identity but was careful to keep out of his line of sight all the same. The concierge's investment in Bree's stay threatened my discrete departure, which was ironically the sole reason Ionel still had a head attached to his shoulders. Questions were bound to arise if Ionel just so happened to disappear on the same day a mysterious, American girl he was fixated on vanished as well. I didn't want people asking more than a few passing questions about Bree's whereabouts and the chaos of the hotel's operations would ensure just that, provided I left Ionel alone.

Of course, my kind was blessed with a long, clear memory so – assuming I felt exceptionally petty – I could always pay Ionel a visit in a decade or so.

More than revenge, self-control was becoming an issue for me. The humans around me smelled especially delectable and the rhythmic surge of their blood had venom filling my mouth by the beat. If I caught the scent of someone with blood sweeter than the usual garden variety it would wreak havoc on my usual composure and I was already taking too many needless risks to chance any sort of slip. The Volturi were the paragons of vampire society, after all. How could I, in good conscience, brutally enforce laws if I didn't respect them myself?

More importantly, how could I apply the phrase "good conscience" to myself and not burst out laughing?

I suppressed both the desire to feed and laugh by focusing on Bree. I felt her in the corner of my mind and attentively kept her numb and oblivious of her confined quarters. I loathed keeping her in such an undignified position and it made me uncommonly restless and oddly…_ashamed?_

Guilt and remorse were such atypical emotions for me I barely recognized them, let alone knew how to handle them. I was capable of far worse than this and lived down to that lax standard on innumerable occasions so why would something so benign bring my conscience out of remission?

I postponed my uncharacteristic moral quandary when the hotel valet came to inform me that the car Santiago sent had arrived. I followed his lead to covered turnabout in front of the hotel where a polished black town car and a middle-aged driver in uniform awaited me. I was glad Santiago hadn't arranged for a more ostentatious vehicle, like those Hummer-limo monstrosities I occasionally saw rolling by. I hadn't yet decided how I intended to disperse with the car once I finished eating the driver but not having a gas guzzling urban assault luxury car made my chore somewhat easier.

"Good afternoon, sir. Where am I driving you today?" the driver inquired in Romanian as he held the door for me.

"The airport, please," I answered in the local tongue.

"Certainly," the driver said, extending a hand towards my suitcase. "Allow me to take your luggage."

My grip tightened reflexively on the handle. I was concerned the driver would wonder if I packed bricks in the suitcase; perhaps he wouldn't even be able to _lift_ _Bree_ considering how dense the constitution of our kind is compared to humans. Beyond the practical issues of placing Bree into the trunk, I rejected the notion simply because she was more important than deadweight to be stowed somewhere. Transporting Bree in a suitcase was a necessary evil but that didn't mean I had to compound it with further indignities.

"Thank you, but I would prefer to have my luggage ride with me in back," I said, feigning mild effort as I lifted Bree into the car. "There are a few things inside I wish to have access to during the trip."

"If you wish, sir," the driver let the matter to rest there as I entered the vehicle. He shut the door behind me and rounded the car to start it.

Good manners are prerequisite for any hospitality profession but I appreciate them all the same. It reminds me of lost eras when people treated strangers with respectful courtesy. Nowadays, it seems like even the most casual acquaintances feel entitled to informality whenever they interact with one another. Whatever happened to earning trust while building relationships?

I suppose I shouldn't complain. This recklessness abandon only serves to benefit my role as predator and Aro himself is unabashedly familiar with anyone he encounters. How could he not feel intimate towards someone after sharing in all their life experiences through a mere touch? That is Aro's prerogative; however, where as I consider those who exhibit restraint, civility and even wariness amongst strangers be wiser, more respectable creatures than trusting souls or those too self-absorbed to recognize the simplest social boundaries.

And here I am contributing to the problem by making polite men like my driver a dying breed. If only the sunlight would make itself sparse so I could seek out a ruder meal…

Yet, as I secured the luggage containing Bree, I wondered if it was her irreverence that added to her appeal.

Yes, there was a measure of folly in Bree antagonizing a person who – by all accounts – is not someone to make a light enemy of but I met enough people over the centuries who feared or revered me upon first introductions. Initially I found such power intoxicating, particularly since I experienced nothing like it as a mortal and – though I never lost my taste for it, per se – it wasn't nearly as sweet as it had been. I missed the days when I was still building my fearsome reputation, when vampires underestimated and disrespected me because of my youthful appearance or friendly demeanor. Now, no one tested me – not my power, my patience or my limits. I simply entered a room and accepted unconditional surrender.

How dull.

Bree was an interesting alternative. Her manners towards me were inarguably poor but what had the Volturi done to earn her trust or respect thus far, even without the Cullens sullying the entirety of our reputation? Most who survived a chastising from Jane would have simpered or cowered rather than risk my personal displeasure or that of the Volturi yet Bree maintained her guard and willing to at least be verbally combative with me.

It was a long-absent thrill to have someone expect me to earn their respect or obedience and Bree was adorably insolent. I'm positive some members of the Volturi would see that as an invitation to break her will and force compliance but it more as an opportunity to mold her perspective of me. Admittedly, sedation and abduction wasn't the best trust-building exercise to start out with but it was, by no means, the worst I was capable of. Bree would understand that once she got to know me and my coven a better.

"May I ask where you are traveling to, sir?" the driver asked, testing my mood for small-talk. I certainly welcomed any distraction that saved me from more demanding trains of thought.

"Volterra," I answered with a smile.

"Hmm," the driver nodded, likely unfamiliar with the city. "And are you traveling there alone?"

"No, I'll have company and I expect to meet my sister when I arrive," I chatted on.

"That's nice," the driver nodded again through the rearview mirror. "Is your sister older or younger than you?"

"We're twins, actually," I said, glancing at the traffic and shops through the tinted glass. This seemed like a good point in the conversation to begin compulsively lying. "I promised her I would take a lot of pictures, in fact, but I didn't get a chance to see the Carpathian Mountains. Do you happen to know a scenic route to the airport that would pass near them? I would like to get at least a couple pictures for Jane to see."

"I do, in fact," said the driver amiably. "It's a little out of the way, though. Would you be in danger of missing your flight?"

"Absolutely not," I said while weaving in a thread of truth to the yarn I spun. "That's why I insisted on my bag staying with me. My camera's in there and I hoped I'd have an opportunity to use it before I left."

"Well, it's nice you and your sister have a hobby to share," said the driver approvingly. "I have a daughter about your age and all she seems to take an interest in anymore is boys…"

"Ah. Jane is more of a bully than a flirt," I said with a chuckle.

The driver chuckled back. "Oh, that'll change! It always does for teenage girls."

"I suspect that's true for most girls but I can't see Jane changing anytime soon." Or _ever_, if I cared to be specific.

Briefly, I entertained the notion of Jane falling for a boy. Undoubtedly, it was bound to be a twisted affair. I could imagine Jane being satisfied with anything too sweet and simple, after all, and she would have to be the one in charge. Part of me pitied this poor hypothetical boy while the rest of me felt the urge to snap him into pieces and mail a chunk to each of the four corners of the earth.

I was far too accustomed to being the only person Jane showed affection for that the thought of sharing her was almost too unappealing to consider. And that was just an _imaginary_ scenario. Bree, on the other hand, was very much real and Jane was far less emotionally stable than I. And since Jane considered Bree too insignificant to even bother destroying I didn't have high hopes of a warm welcome.

"I'm more precocious than my sister in that regard," I said grudgingly while trying not to picture all the gory details of Jane's reaction. "There's a girl I like but I'm worried Jane won't understand my feelings for her."

That, of course, implied I understood my own feelings about Bree. I had a suspicion and didn't care for it at all because it meant the life I knew and enjoyed was – for all intents and purposes – _over_. The reason I always rejected the possibility of finding a mate beyond Jane wasn't because of some perverse affection for my twin or inability to comprehend love between vampires; it was because I couldn't stand the thought of not being in control of my own existence.

Mate selection (as if anyone actually gets a choice!) is momentous and absolute amongst our kind. Some described it as being hit dead-on by Cupid's arrow without warning or respite. Others likened the feeling more to the work of our venom; a force that was futile to resist and impossible to ignore as it methodically seeped into every fiber of their being until they were left forever altered. Once a vampire met their mate something innate and inevitable took over, leading to a single outcome and mutual understanding. Many of our kind waited as long as centuries to find that one person who would give their existence meaning and love worth immortalizing.

Perhaps this was as close to heaven as our kind would ever get but, to me, it sounded an awful lot like hell.

The last thing I wanted was to have my life commandeered by some unsolicited, non-negotiable compulsion that forever entwined my happiness and fate to someone I barely knew. Didn't I deserve a say when it came to choosing which person I would devote the rest of my infinitely long life to? It wasn't fair, it wasn't sensible and it offended me that my will meant nothing to the whims of Fate, particularly if Fate was as cruel as Jane.

Bree Tanner was not my definition of a perfect mate. Allegedly opposites attract but didn't you need at least a few things in common to make something of such magnitude endure throughout the ages? Perhaps there was something I was missing but all evidence suggested Bree and I were fundamentally _wrong_ for one another. Bree was sensible enough to accept that plain fact and if she wasn't reciprocating my tumultuous feelings then it stood to reason it was all in my head.

Hands down the prospect I was experiencing a total collapse in sanity comforted me far more than the possibility of falling in love. Having a mate was a double-edged sword I didn't care to wield. What was the point of finding a person to supposedly complete me if they were also the one thing capable of destroying me? One of three things happened to vampires who survived their mates – they sought revenge until they achieved it or total self-destruction, they continued on as a hollowed out shell or they spared themselves the anguish by ending their own worthless existence. I just didn't see the appeal. I was a sadist, not a masochist.

And yet here I was…

I leaned my head back into my seat and released a sigh. What was the point in arguing with myself? Right or wrong, I had no intention of doing anything other than see this farce through to the bitter end. I couldn't just walk away and merely assume everything I experienced so far was the product of boredom, curiosity or some excessive lapse in sanity. I needed to know if this pull I felt towards Bree was, without a doubt, something or nothing and I wouldn't be able to confirm or deny these alien emotions without speaking to Bree at least one more time.

"So you have a girlfriend, then?" the driver wondered.

I snapped back to my present surroundings. Only a couple seconds passed in the pause between my statement and the driver's question but that was more than enough time for a vampire to thoroughly exhaust him or herself with an internal debate. I considered how to answer a question I myself didn't have the answer to.

"Her name is Bree and I've mostly been…admiring her from afar," I finally said. It was a generous and far less felonious interpretation of my actions as of late but honest nonetheless. "I'm not sure if we're really suited for one another, though."

"Why do you say that?" asked the driver, intrigued by my immortal teenage angst.

"We've gotten off to a bad start the first time we met," I said, lending as much truth to my dilemma as my supernatural condition would allow. "Bree encountered my sister a few months earlier and - as I mentioned - Jane has a habit of bullying people so when Bree met me she thought I was the same as my sister. It doesn't help matters that the family Bree belongs to puts all this unnecessary pressure on her to be someone she's not and I could see it's tearing Bree up trying not to disappoint their unreasonable expectations for her. I told Bree there was nothing wrong with just being herself but Bree took it the wrong way and ran off before I could explain myself or apologize. I've spent the whole day trying to track her down before she could vanish to America again."

"She lives abroad?" the driver questioned, like logistics was the _biggest issue_ dividing Bree and I. "Were you able to find her before she left?"

"I know where she is but we haven't had a chance to talk yet," I said without glancing to the suitcase beside me. "I'm actually not sure what I'm going to say to Bree. I've already managed to pick a fight with one of her know-it-all sister, Alice, and if I ever meet her friend, Seth, I'm positive someone will get hurt. I know they're going to try and convince Bree I'm a terrible influence on her but if she keeps listening to her family I'm afraid Bree's going to end up hating herself for no reason."

"It sounds like you really care about her," the driver observed quietly. "It's hard to come between family, though. Even if you don't agree with everything they say or do it's not fair to Bree if you try and force her to choose between her family's values and yours. Ultimately, the best thing for Bree is to let her decide what kind of person she wants to be and all you can really do to help that is try to broaden her horizons beyond how her family sees things."

I nodded in agreement with the wisdom of a man an eighth my age. "You're right. She'll just resent me if I keep pressing my issues with her family and their peculiar habits. I'm hoping she'll come spend some time with me in Volterra. I think it would be an excellent chance for her to get to know me better and be her own person for a while."

"It takes a smart person to realize the importance of being himself; for better or worse. Though - as well as you might think you know yourself - sometimes we see ourselves best only through the eyes of others," the driver said earnestly. "That's what I always tell my daughter, anyway."

"It's good advice. Thank you for sharing it," I told the driver softly as he smiled and nodded at my gratitude through the rearview mirror. I gazed at the serene wilderness with a pensive pause, knowing what I had to do next. After a few more moments of riding along the secluded highway I finally said: "Would you mind pulling over the car here? This seems like a good spot."

"Right; you had wanted to take some pictures," the driver reminded himself as he pulled onto the shoulder of the road.

I said nothing to correct the driver as he brought the car to a stop and turned the engine. However absent the driver's memory was about my fake hobby he didn't forget his duties as he exited the vehicle to open my door. I inched over a fraction to keep the sunlight from spilling onto my hand. Not that pretence mattered much at this point. The driver's fate was sealed the first time he opened the car door for me. Eating the driver was half the reason Santiago sent a car for me so why was I hesitating?

Some vampires took twisted pleasure in terrorizing their meals before consuming them but it wasn't my custom to play with my food. Over the centuries I prided myself on being fair when it came to selecting my meals. I was an indiscriminate predator. An equal-opportunity killer. However I cared to describe my feeing practices they weren't personal, just me adhering to my nature. I didn't play god with the lives of mortals. I never asked myself whether one person deserved to live or if another deserved to die. It was all luck-of-the-draw and that always seemed to be the fairest method of selecting my meals.

Except now it didn't feel as fair as I once thought.

I wasn't used to conversing with my food, at least not more than was required to lure them somewhere secluded. I didn't listen to them talk about their families or open up about myself enough for them to solicit advice. I liked the driver – as much as I was capable of liking humans anyway – and talking to him was about as wise as humans treating animals in a slaughter house like pets.

After three-and-a-half centuries one might think I would know better by now.

I stopped delaying the inevitable and stepped out of the car. An instant later the sunlight turned my alabaster skin into a prism of light flashing more colors than the human eye could perceive. Empirically, I appreciated the beauty of my kind's radiant complexion but, after centuries, it ceased to astound me. For humans, on the other hand, the effect was quite powerful.

The driver gaped at me with wide, disbelieving eyes as he took an unconscious step back. His mouth moved uselessly as it failed to produce the words needed to express his awe. After a moment the driver finally managed a question more common to my kind than "what's your sign?"

"Are you…_an angel_?" the driver asked, unable to fully believe the suggestion he himself made.

"Not in the slightest," I corrected him softly. "This is just you in the wrong place and me in the right light."

The driver didn't understand my meaning but he wasn't meant to. What was the point of explaining any of it? Was there any comfort or consolation in knowing that if I had other options available to me I wouldn't eat him? It didn't change what was about to happen. All I could do was ease the driver's passing with my talent. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

Before meeting Bree I was never burdened by thoughts like these. She was becoming a bad influence on me. Or a good one? It's hard to say since morality is so subjective. And annoying. Perhaps I shouldn't be so eager to keep Bree in my life if I was going to make me such a picky eater.

Ugh. If this was the first step towards "vegan" vampirism then I was already disgusted with myself.


End file.
